Vvardenfell Reborn
by Ny Batteri
Summary: 500 years after the rise and fall of House Dagoth and the abandoning of Vvardenfell, three parties are returning to the ancient abandoned island to reclaim it. However, as they explore the ruined remnants of civilisation, their paths are sure to cross...
1. Prologue

Vvardenfell Reborn

**Vvardenfell Reborn**

**Chapter 1 – Prologue**

"_Progress, Reform and Rediscovery – The Reclaiming of Vvardenfell", First Edition, Varus Mentilius, first published 4E503._

It has now been five hundred years since the third year of the Fourth Era, when civilisation on Vvardenfell ceased to exist.

A number of significant events occurred on the island of Vvardenfell at this time, the largest of which being the ill-fated tale of Nerevarine and his battle against the dark lord Dagoth Ur.

The hopes of Dagoth Ur and his Sixth House being destroyed forever were vanquished when Nerevarine was killed by Dagoth Ur in the heart of Red Mountain. The two were evenly matched, but Nerevarine was fatigued from his journey through the harsh, blighted wastelands of Red Mountain to reach the citadel, and was slain by Dagoth Ur. This proved disastrous – not only was the one hope of victory against House Dagoth killed, but Kagrenac's Tools fell into the hands of Dagoth Ur.

The course of action following these events was seen by many to be to simply flee Vvardenfell. The majority of the Dunmer population fled to mainland Morrowind, whilst other races moved en masse to Solstheim – the Nords continuing onwards to Skyrim or simply settling in the island, the remaining races being welcomed into the Imperial presences on the island, Fort Frostmoth and Raven Rock.

Back on Vvardenfell, Dagoth Ur used Kagrenac's Tools on the Heart of Lorkhan to effectively destroy the Tribunal, first by driving Almalexia and Sotha Sil to madness – in a dramatic series of events in Mournhold Almalexia killed Sotha Sil then was herself killed by a dissident priest. Vivec, meanwhile, became mortal and was murdered by a band of lesser Dagoths, against whom he was practically defenceless. When this happened, Vivec's grasp over elements of Vvardenfell disappeared. The Ministry of Truth plummeted from the heavens, obliterating Vivec's temple, and the Ghostfence failed, allowing Dagoth Ur's influence to spread across Vvardenfell.

The Sixth House soon became the dominant force in Vvardenfell. Only House Redoran and the Tribunal Temple remained on the island – House Redoran either too honourable or stubborn to abandon their land, the Tribunal Temple wishing to exact vengeance on those who had destroyed their religion. However, the Sixth House, led by Dagoth Ur and the seven Ash Vampires, who had been resurrected after Nerevarine had slain them to gain Kagrenac's Tools, overran them, either killing them or driving them from Vvardenfell.

However, fate intervened soon afterwards. Purely by chance, Red Mountain erupted for the first time in aeons. The rising lava in the crater destroyed the almost-completed Akhulakhan and killed Dagoth Ur as well as the Heart of Lorkhan, meaning the Sixth House's days were numbered and Dagoth Ur now had no means of resurrecting himself. The enormous tide of lava that erupted from Red Mountain destroyed the Citadels of the Sixth House and Ghostgate and buried much of Ald-Ruhn and Maar Gan, as well as completely reshaping the lands of Red Mountain and the Ashlands. Lava flowed down the Foyadas, levelling parts of the Bitter Coast and Molag Amur and turning them into vast rocky plains.

Wraithguard was destroyed when Red Mountain erupted, but Dagoth Ur had entrusted Keening and Sunder to Dagoth Odros and Dagoth Vemyn, who hid them in remote Sixth House bases far from Red Mountain, where it is believed they still remain. (However, it should be noted that without Wraithguard the tools are unuseable)

With Dagoth Ur destroyed, the lesser Dagoths, who drew sustenance from Dagoth Ur to live, soon died. Their minions, the ash and corprus creatures, soon perished or began killing each other for food. This series of events marked the end of life on Vvardenfell.

Over the next five hundred years, nature took its hold over the island. With no farmers breeding grazing animals such as guar, areas such as the Grazelands and the Ascadian Isles soon became overgrown with tall grass, and saplings, which were previously eaten by guar, grew into trees, turning the Grazelands and Ascadian Isles into dense forests. Winds carried an abundance of pollen from the verdant areas to the Ashlands, where weeds established themselves and grew in abundance. When these weeds died and rotted, they left a layer of fertile soil covering the ash in which more plants began to grow. Vvardenfell was transforming from a wasteland into a garden.

The cities of Vvardenfell suffered a much more destructive fate. Unkempt and untamed, plants began to swamp the cities. As roots grew into cracks in stone, they forced the cracks open, weakening buildings until they collapsed. This, combined with damage by the elements and the lack of anyone to maintain the buildings, meant most cities simply crumbled to the ground. By the time this book was written, southern towns in verdant areas such as Seyda Neen and Pelagiad had virtually disappeared as buildings collapsed and plant life had grown over them, burying them under soil and grass.

The Telvanni towns, grown by wizards and built from organic materials, quickly rotted away with nothing sustaining their life. This produced extremely fertile soil in which indigenous plants once again grew in abundance. Sadrith Mora quickly reverted to its namesake of literally being a forest of mushroom trees. The once-mighty city of Vivec is believed to have been overrun by plants like all the other cities, but the effects of tides and lack of maintenance means that the bases of the cantons will be severely weakened, meaning that they could collapse at any moment. Also, without anyone to maintain the ancient pumps that filled Vivec's canals, the water retained within each canton's canalworks flooded back out, significantly raising the sea level around Vivec and flooding the many low-lying islands surrounding the city.

Some elements of civilisation have survived, however. The city of Molag Mar is yet to be attacked by nature and remains standing, albeit significantly eroded by wind and rain. Daedric shrines still stand around Vvardenfell, their exterior walls made of ebony effectively keeping the elements at bay. Dwemer ruins, however, have suffered a worse fate. Rain has caused their metal exteriors to corrode, causing them to expand and literally rip apart their foundations, causing them to collapse. However, the structures beneath the exterior towers and domes should theoretically still be intact.

These events have had socio-political effects too. House Indoril has ceased to exist. Many believed that the reason for the Nerevarine's failure laid in his persecution by, as opposed to the support of, the Tribunal Temple, in particular the Indoril-led Ordinators. Following this, Houses Dres, Hlaalu, Redoran and Telvanni gave Indoril an ultimatum – either disband or the four houses would destroy them. The Indoril stubbornly stood their ground, leading to an enormous battle outside the Great Temple of Almalexia in Mournhold, where Indoril surrendered and agreed to disband.

Religion in Morrowind also changed significantly. With the Tribunal both destroyed and exposed by Nerevarine as false gods, the Dunmer split into two groups – the majority either became atheistic or joined the Imperial religion, worshipping the Nine Divines. A small group of Dunmer, however, founded the Sun and Moon Cult, also known as the Temple of Azura, worshipping the Daedric princess of its namesake. Azura was a firm supporter of Nerevarine and opposed the Tribunal Temple's persecution of him, and the Sun and Moon Cult thought that by appeasing Azura they could restore order and glory to Morrowind.

Five hundred years on, Vvardenfell is now garnering interest. It has been deemed safe to enter – the five hundred destructive years of nature erasing almost every sign of life from Vvardenfell are over, and the last remnants of the Sixth House have died out, soil burying blight-ridden ashes for good in most parts of the island. The eruption of Red Mountain created huge surface deposits of volcanic glass and ebony, and the whole island is essentially a blank canvas for whoever can claim it to build their own empire on. Three parties have all expressed interest in Vvardenfell – the alliance of the four remaining Great Houses, the Sun and Moon Cult and the East Empire Company.

The East Empire Company's expeditionary force, led by Varo Sinclair, were the first group to land on Vvardenfell, travelling to the old Imperial fortress-town of Ebonheart. Sinclair was a highly respected Imperial Legion commander, known for a kind heart, an excellent sense of judgement and a taste for adventure. With him were the Bosmer mage, botanist and alchemist Galmina, the eccentric Breton scholar and historian Jurard Aurmine and a group of surveyors and builders, led by Romanus Ratarius, ready to begin recolonisation of Vvardenfell. Already, however, tension is rising within the group. Varo Sinclair wishes to explore the island – the prospect of an abandoned province where nature has buried countless relics and treasures fascinates him – whilst Romanus Ratarius is more interested in mining the glass and ebony deposits left by the eruption of Red Mountain. It is here where the story begins.


	2. First Steps

Chapter 2 – First Steps

**Chapter 2 – First Steps**

The sight of Vivec that greeted the Imperial expeditionary force was incredible as their ship sailed through the straits between Vivec Palace and Ebonheart's old docks.

The city had been reduced to a series of crumbling towers in various states of disarray, the walkways and bridges connecting them long since destroyed. Nothing at all remained of the Temple after it had been crushed by the Ministry of Truth, a small part of which could be seen protruding from the sea. An opening in the surface of the enormous rock, obviously a doorway many years ago, led into the Ministry's flooded depths.

The once-grand Vivec Palace, like the seven cantons, was now a crumbled ruin, coated with dark green lichen and mould. A crumbled, circular wall on its roof was all that was left of Vivec's chambers, and the water in the tiers of the ziggurat that surrounded it had long since evaporated without a working pump to refill them. Staring at this once-grand city from the deck of the ship, Varo could not help but wonder what the magnificent city must have looked like in its heyday.

"_Commander!" _

Varo was snapped back into reality by the voice of the ship's skipper, the Nord sailor Alfjned known better by his nickname, Sea Monster. Varo ran to the ship's wheel, where Sea Monster was skilfully navigating the narrow straits.

"Have you seen the state of Ebonheart?" Sea Monster asked Varo. "It doesn't look like there's an easy place to moor"

"I'm afraid Vivec got my attention first" Varo replied, striding over to the port side of the ship to be greeted by the sight of Ebonheart. It had suffered a much worse fate than Vivec – the old docks were now underwater, having been flooded by the torrent of water that had poured out of Vivec's ancient canals and flooded the lagoon that surrounded the city. The bridge connecting the docks to the fortified village that lay at the foot of the castle had long crumbled away and plunged into the waters below, and the once-mighty stone battlements that surrounded the village had crumbled and collapsed until they were only around 6 feet high, punctuated with gaping holes. Most of the buildings in the village had collapsed into little more than piles of rubble, and tall grass and a few trees grew where the stone road to the castle had once been.

"I can't see where the ground is" Varo said. "We will have to drop anchor here then use the dinghy to reach dry land"

"So this is our new home" Galmina said wistfully, walking up to Varo and gazing out over Ebonheart.

"Only for a while, Galmina" Varo replied. "Once we find a suitable site we will build a new Imperial city. It will almost feel like being at home"

"So, who will have the honour of being the first person to set foot on Vvardenfell for the first time in five centuries?"

"It will be either you, me or Sten. Speaking of which, could you go and find him and bring him up on deck?"

Sten Hawk-Eye was a skilled marksman and close friend of Varo's from the Imperial Legion. Varo did not know what creatures might be lurking in the ruins of Ebonheart, and Sten not only had an excellent aim but also packed a heavy punch – he carried a conventional longbow but also an ancient Dwemer crossbow, amongst the most powerful ranged weapons known to man and mer alike, which he kept in top working order.

--

The boat juddered as the anchor hit the seabed, dragging it to a halt. Varo turned back to Sea Monster.

"Lower the dinghy, Sea Monster"

Varo, Galmina and Sten climbed down into the small wooden dinghy, along with three of Varo's Imperial Legion soldiers, with one of the ship's crew, the Argonian sailor Rigs-Sails, steering the craft towards land.

"Something's alive in there" Galmina said, peering into the dense grass that had grown in and around the city with the aid of a life detection spell. "Probably just wildlife"

Sten drew his crossbow and moved up to the front of the dinghy. A hapless Kagouti strolled past the opening where the bridge from the docks had previously led up into the fortified part of the town, and Sten quickly took aim and fired. The bolt pierced through the Kagouti's temple, killing it instantly.

"Where there's one there's usually more" Rigs-Sails said.

"Bring us in at the opening" Varo called back to him, then turned to face his three soldiers.

"Marinus, Levisson, I want you two to go in first. Sten, cover them. Galmina, you come with myself and Valenia. All we need to do for now is make sure this area is safe"

"Understood, Commander" Marinus said. Runo Marinus had served Varo longer than anyone else in the expeditionary force, and was effectively his right-hand man.

"We'll be on our own once we've landed" Varo continued. "Rigs-Sails, I want you to go back to the ship. Bring Romanus and Jurard next, and a few more soldiers"

Rigs-Sails ran the dinghy aground on the crumbled pile of masonry that was all that remained of the stairway into Ebonheart. As soon as the dinghy touched ground, Marinus and Levisson leapt off onto dry land, Sten following close behind. Varo watched them disappear into the tall grass.

"Varo, who were the other soldiers on the ship?" Galmina asked suddenly. Varo turned to face her. "I saw your Legion soldiers, but there were others, wearing an assortment of mismatched armour, carrying many different types of weapon"

"Mercenaries" Varo replied. "They're Romanus' men, he hired them to protect him when he goes off surveying but at the moment they answer to me. Come on, we should follow them"

Marinus and Levisson stalked through the undergrowth, Sten following close behind. The world around them was surreal, almost alien. It was evident that man had existed there long ago, but nature had now firmly taken its hold over the town. Little remained of the buildings – their roofs had collapsed and their doors and windows long perished, leaving empty, crumbling skeletons of buildings.

"Movement!" Levisson whispered loudly, pointing ahead. The three could hear something moving through the undergrowth towards them, about twenty yards away. Sten stood up on his tiptoes to see over the tall grass, and saw the source of the noise.

"Kagouti, three of them" he whispered. "No, wait, four"

Sten fired his crossbow, nailing the Kagouti nearest to them in the forehead, killing it. As soon as he had done so, another Kagouti charged out of the undergrowth, lunging at Levisson. Levisson threw up his shield, the Kagouti's two tusks punching through and firmly wedging themselves in the iron shield. As the Kagouti writhed around trying to free itself, Levisson thrust his shortsword up through the soft flesh on the underside of its neck, forcing through its spinal column and killing it.

"Shit, there's more behind us!" Sten shouted. "They must have been hiding in one of the buildings! We're surrounded!"

Sten fired off another bolt, hitting a Kagouti in the leg, causing it to fall to the ground, roaring in pain. There were three more approaching him from behind, as well as the two in front of them.

"In here, quick!" Marinus called, leading the three into a ruined building next to them. As he did, he ducked behind the doorway as the other two ran through, slamming his mace down on the head of a Kagouti as it ran through the door. The sickening crack of breaking bone echoed through the air as the Kagouti slowly collapsed in the doorway, blocking the entrance for its fellow creatures.

"Sten, upstairs!" Marinus ordered. "Take out as many as you can!"

Varo, Galmina and Valenia raced through the grass towards the source of the commotion, and soon found themselves face-to-face with a pack of Kagouti. Valenia bravely squared up to face one of them, swinging his claymore low and horizontally and slicing one of the creature's legs off. As he did, the creature lunged forward with its last ounce of strength and pierced through Valenia's armour and into his shoulder with one of its tusks. Varo leapt forward and plunged his sword downwards into the Kagouti's skull, killing it. As he did, Galmina grabbed Valenia, still alive but badly hurt, and began dragging him towards the ruined doorway of a nearby building. Marinus followed close behind her.

Galmina reached the safety of the building and Varo followed her in. As Galmina cast a magical light to illuminate the building, however, she realised she had made a huge mistake. Most of the building's upper floor had collapsed downwards, sealing off all other exits from the room they were in. They were trapped.

"Galmina, I need you up here!" Varo called back to her as a Kagouti charged at him. Suddenly, however, it was thrown forwards as blood burst from its head. It lay dead at his feet, a crossbow bolt protruding from a massive wound in its scalp.

"_Commander! We need help over here!" _Sten called to him from across the open, grassy area. Varo looked round to see Valenia shakily getting to his feet.

"Galmina, Valenia, we need to get to the other three. Just follow me and keep running. Sten will look after us"

Galmina began to run towards the doorway, one arm around Valenia to support him, as Varo broke out of the building. Immediately a Kagouti lunged out of nowhere at him but Sten skilfully took it down with his crossbow. As he kept running, bolts flew over his head, hitting Kagouti that were hiding in the grass, waiting to pounce. Soon, he reached the comparitive safety of the building the other three were in, just in time to thrust his sword into one of three Kagouti that Marinus and Levisson were fighting. Varo turned round.

Galmina and Valenia weren't there.

--

Galmina fought bravely to fight off two Kagouti, trying to dodge their attacks whilst retaliating with bursts of fire from her hands. She got one successful blow in, causing the Kagouti to leap back in agony, but as she did the other ran past her and gouged Valenia's chest with one of its tusks. Valenia gagged and twitched for a few seconds before lying motionless. Galmina cast a fireball at the wounded Kagouti, killing it, just as the other turned to face her…

Suddenly, one of Romanus' mercenaries burst out of the grass and swung his battle-axe down, hewing the Kagouti's head clean from its body. Galmina breathed a sigh of relief.

Varo raced out of the building he was in, leaving Marinus and Levisson to kill the one remaining Kagouti.

"Galmina, are you alright? What happened?"

"They just ambushed us out of nowhere" Galmina said shakily. "Valenia didn't make it…"

Varo looked down at his fallen comrade. "One fatality already. I knew this wasn't going to be easy"

As they spoke, Marinus, Levisson and Sten approached them.

"Did you see the way they moved?" Levisson remarked. "They're clever. They were trying to split us up, force us into enclosed spaces and pick us off one by one"

"I imagine without hunters to keep them in check they have become the dominant species in Vvardenfell" Sten said. At that moment, Romanus, Jurard and three of Romanus' mercenaries approached them.

"We saw it from the boat" Romanus said. "They just seemed to come out of nowhere"

"They were all hiding in the grass" Varo replied. "Romanus, can you and your men sweep the area? Make sure there's no more hiding in the buildings. I am going to see what state the castle is in"

With that, Varo strode off through the tall grass in the direction of the castle with Sten in tow. Galmina ran after him.

Jurard turned to face Romanus. "Romanus, I need something to do. I don't like idling"

"Go back to the old docks" Romanus replied. "Take Marinus and Levisson with you and see if you can get to the old East Empire Company warehouses. I doubt there is anything in there we can salvage, but it's worth a try"

Varo, Galmina and Sten climbed up a pile of rubble which was once a staircase that led to the bridge to the castle. Galmina reached the top first, climbing over a collapsed archway and being the first person to look upon Ebonheart castle for many years. The first thing she noticed was that there was no longer a bridge leading to it – like every other bridge in both Ebonheart and Vivec, it had been one of the first things to collapse with nobody to maintain it. Tidal movements had weakened the bridge's support columns until they could no longer hold it up. Through the clear seawater, Galmina could see the remains of the bridge.

The castle, like the rest of the town, had almost ceased to exist. Its grand towers, battlements and upper levels had all collapsed either into the sea or the ground floor, which was amazingly still almost intact. The walls surrounding it still stood, and the stone floor of the second storey had held well. Since the castle was on its own island, now completely isolated from the mainland, plant-life had not yet been able to attack the stone structure, leaving only the wind and rain to damage it. A large arched doorway led into the remains of the castle.

As the other two arrived, three more of Varo's soldiers, having just arrived from the ship, reached the foot of the heap of rubble. Varo turned to them.

"Go and find Rigs-Sails and tell him to bring the rope bridge next" Varo called down to them. The three soldiers turned and made their way back to the docks.

"The castle should be empty" Galmina said. "There's no way anything could reach it"

Galmina was right – the castle was surrounded on all sides by sheer cliffs plunging into the sea. Even with the raised sea level, there was still a good 20 feet between the surface of the sea and the castle entrance.

As Rigs-Sails brought in the final group of people from the ship, Jurard, Marinus and Levisson emerged from the remains of one of the warehouses, wading through the seawater each carrying a sack salvaged from the dinghy. Romanus came to the mooring to greet a member of his group, the Orc smith Baldur gra-Orash, and noticed the three making their way back towards him.

"What did you find?" Romanus asked them as they reached dry land. Jurard fished into his sack and pulled out a large shard of a smooth, green crystal.

"Glass" Jurard said. "I figured Baldur might be able to craft it into something useful. I don't know though, I'm unaware of the effects that five centuries of being submerged in seawater might have on the glass"

At that moment, Varo's three soldiers reached the docks. One of them approached Rigs-Sails.

"Rigs-Sails, we need the rope bridge. I think Commander Sinclair plans to reach the castle"

--

Galmina glided through the air between the town and castle, trailing a rope behind her. The rope was one end of a pre-fabricated rope bridge, an extremely heavy construction, but Galmina's levitation spell provided enough force for her to comfortably carry it to the castle. Rigs-Sails had moored the dinghy at the base of the cliffs, directly underneath the doorway, and was currently scaling the cliffs, a spear slung over his back. Galmina soon reached the doorway and with Rigs-Sails' help she hauled in the bridge and used two large metal pins to anchor the two ropes that supported the wooden slats that made up the bridge. She then signalled to Varo that it was safe to cross.

Varo began to cross the bridge, and as he did the others followed him – Sten, Romanus, Marinus and Levisson first, with everyone else following close behind. Rigs-Sails returned to the dinghy and set off to retrieve Sea Monster, the only person left on the ship.

Once everyone had assembled in Ebonheart castle, Varo got their attention.

"Alright everybody, it's been a bit of a fight but we made it. For the next few days, this ancient castle is our home. I want to establish a more permanent settlement in the Ascadian Isles, but for now we can call Ebonheart home. We should be safe from Kagouti or whatever else may choose to attack us here, since the rope bridge is the only point of access to the castle.

"I have looked in the castle basement. Most of it is flooded but there are some dry empty rooms that we can use for storage. I'm afraid we will all have to sleep in this room for the time being. We only have enough food for about two weeks, so we also need to go out hunting for food soon.

"But today, I think we all deserve a rest. We have accomplished something incredible today – we have brought civilisation back to Vvardenfell"


	3. Under Sun And Sky

Chapter 3 – Under Sun And Sky

**Chapter 3 – Under Sun And Sky**

Sea Monster raced through the tall grass of the Ebonheart ruins towards the rope bridge that led to the castle. At the base of it he saw who he was looking for.

"Varo! Varo!" Sea Monster shouted.

"Yes? What is it?" Varo replied anxiously.

"I just saw another ship!" Sea Monster said, gasping for breath.

"Another ship? Tell me everything"

"It sailed past the entrance to the lagoon, past the south of Vivec. Rigs-Sails said they are probably heading for Molag Mar or they wouldn't have come in so close to land so early. There was a man on the deck of the ship, a Dunmer. He waved at us, and Rigs-Sails waved back. That's all there is to tell"

"Were they flying a flag?"

"Yes. I couldn't see the emblem on it, but it was dark blue at the base fading into the colour of the skies"

Varo paused. "Return to the ship and prepare it to sail. And come and tell me immediately if you see any more ships"

Sea Monster nodded and ran back towards the ship, as Varo continued supervising the task of unloading the many cargo crates from the ship. Three Legion soldiers were helping Sa'Ribat, a Khajiit from Sea Monster's crew, to unload and sort through them.

"Gentlemen, you don't need my supervision. Weapons and armour go to Baldur in the armoury, and everything else goes in the stores"

With that, Varo hiked up the pile of rubble that led to the rope bridge and raced towards the castle.

--

"Galmina, I would ask that you come with me" Romanus said to the Bosmer. "If I am surveying a site for a new town I need to know that there's plant-life on the site that we can eat"

"I will come with you" Galmina replied. "I have been looking forward to seeing the great forests of the Ascadian Isles for some time"

"Head for north of where Pelagiad once stood" Jurard said to Romanus. "A lava flow spilt out of the Foyada near there. I imagine there's something that you could mine in that lava"

"_Jurard!"_

The Breton spun round at mention of his name to see Varo running towards him.

"What does a dark and sky blue flag mean to you?" Varo asked him.

"Dark and sky blue? That's the Sun And Moon Cult. Why?"

"They're here. Sea Monster saw their ship. Tell me about them"

"They're an Azura-worshipping cult, quite large in Morrowind but they generally keep themselves to themselves"

"Come on, we're going to Molag Mar. Galmina?"

Galmina sighed. "I'm sorry, Varo, but I have agreed to go with Romanus to survey for a new city"

"I suppose it is an important task" Varo replied. "Jurard, go and find Sten, Marinus and his men. Tell them to meet me on the ship, and come with them"

--

Romanus pored over his old map of Vvardenfell, standing at the crest of a small path that led between two mountains. Rigs-Sails had taken Romanus, Galmina and four mercenaries to the old site of Seyda Neen, no trace of which at all had been evident. The town had been built of wood and poor-quality mortar, both of which had been destroyed by nature, the elements and time. Whilst they continued on to Pelagiad, Rigs-Sails had returned to Ebonheart to get more of Romanus' men, an assortment of surveyors and builders.

The sight that greeted them as they crossed the mountains into the Ascadian Isles, however, was incredible – a lush, verdant forest stretching out all around them, interspersed with crystal-clear lakes, with the boundary between the Isles and Molag Mar marked by a dramatic mountain range.

"Pelagiad should be here…" Romanus said. "It's just completely gone"

"You sound surprised" Galmina remarked. "I would have thought that after seeing the other towns you would know what was in store"

"Pelagiad was an Imperial town, Galmina" Romanus said. "It just saddens me to see a mark of the Empire being destroyed…"

"Are you alright, Romanus? You seem sad today"

"I am beginning to miss home already. I am from the Imperial City, a grand gesture of civilisation, and this place is just so… alien"

"You need to find something that reminds you of home" Galmina replied. "I too was missing home until I saw this forest. Now it's like being back in Valenwood"

"Come on, let's make for that lava flow that Jurard told us about" Romanus said, striding away from Galmina. Galmina shrugged to herself and followed him, constantly re-casting her life detection spell and looking around for threats.

--

"Mr Ratarius! Come and look at this!"

Romanus began to walk towards Alanar, one of his mercenaries, a Bosmer scout. They were on the old site of Pelagiad, seeing if anything could be salvaged. It was incredible – all that remained of the town were a few small piles of rubble. It was as if the town had never existed in the first place. Alanar, however, was pointing at a hole in the ground that led down into a pitch-black stone tunnel.

"It looks like a sewer system" Romanus said. "I wonder why it isn't flooded…"

"Shall we have a look inside?" Alanar asked.

"It would do no harm" Romanus replied. "Go and find Mistarie, she's carrying a rope ladder with her"

Romanus looked around and saw Galmina examining a thick clump of bushes. He approached her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Have you found anything we can eat yet?" he asked her. Galmina produced a handful of berries.

"There's a lot of comberries growing around here. They're mildly poisonous but you can boil the poison out of them and make them safe to eat…"

"I need light and life detection" Romanus said, interrupting Galmina. "Alanar's just found some sort of underground ruin and we have no idea what's down there"

"So you want me to come with you" Galmina said, standing up. "Alright, I will. I wonder how it's managed to last for so long while the rest of the town has perished"

"Varo is very fond of you, isn't he?" Romanus said suddenly as the pair began to walk back to the hole.

"We have been friends for many years" Galmina replied. "I am glad he asked me to come here with him"

"I'd better keep you safe, then. I don't want to have to answer to Varo if anything happens to you"

--

Alanar, Romanus, Galmina, Mistarie and Erdora, an Altmer mercenary, climbed down into the tunnel and began following it, the way illuminated by Galmina. Alanar and Romanus led, with Galmina and Mistarie behind them and Erdora at the rear. Galmina felt safe with the two soldiers she was nearest to – already Romanus had struck her as arrogant, misogynistic and condescending, and Alanar was as incessantly irritating as all male Bosmer. Mistarie, however, was an outgoing and entertaining Redguard who Galmina had taken an immediate liking to, and Erdora, although a warrior, possessed a thick grey beard and a kind, deep voice that reminded Galmina of the wizards from whom she had learnt her trade.

The five began to take in their surroundings. The tunnel was round with a channel cut into its floor, down which a trickle of water formed from the drops falling from the tunnel's ceiling flowed. However, as they followed the tunnel, this channel suddenly took a right turn into a small tunnel, wide and tall only enough to accommodate the channel.

"I imagine it goes all the way to the sea" Romanus said. "It's a basic drainage system"

The tunnel then morphed into a stairway which led downwards into inky darkness. The beige stone was crumbled and worn, but nowhere near to the extent that all the other masonry they had seen on the island was. With Galmina's light, the five could see that the stairway ended in a square chamber, which in turn led through a short passageway into another similar chamber. Ankle-length water filled both chambers.

"Look!" Mistarie said, pointing into the chamber. A skeleton lay on the ground, a worn-looking iron sword in its bony hand, propped up against the wall of the chamber. "Someone ran into some bad luck down here"

"Be careful!" Galmina said suddenly.

"What is it?" Romanus asked her.

"If this person died when everyone else on Vvardenfell did, their skeleton would have long since perished. And look at that sword, it's only slightly rusted"

"You think they died recently?"

Galmina nodded. "I don't think we're alone here. This ruin is being maintained. The stone is still more or less intact, that drain somehow managed to avoid the effects of the lagoon around Vivec being flooded, and that skeleton has been left there so that any other unwanted visitors will realise this"

"Is there anyone in here, though?"

Galmina cast a spell on herself and glanced around. "It wouldn't seem so"

"In any case we should proceed with caution" Erdora said. "Galmina, I think you should stay at the back with me"

Romanus and Alanar wandered into the next chamber, their weapons drawn. Mistarie followed behind them. However, as Alanar stepped into the centre of the room, he tripped over something. It was a rope, stretched across the ground at ankle-level, obscured by the muddy water. A tripwire.

Suddenly, a metal portcullis thundered down into the passageway connecting the two chambers. Mistarie ran up to it and tried to move it, but it held firmly in place.

"Damnit!" Romanus snapped. "Galmina, Erdora, get back outside and find help. See if any of the builders have any naphtha to blow this gate down, or something to knock it down with. Anything"

"We'll be right back" Galmina said.

"Here" Erdora said, passing his small pouch of food through the gate. "Just in case Galmina's wrong"

The pair turned round and ran back up the stairs, through the tunnel to Mistarie's rope ladder. Erdora clambered up it, followed closely by Galmina.

"Galmina" Erdora said softly, looking around. "Where is everyone?"

Erdora was right – the rest of Romanus' team of builders, surveyors and mercenary soldiers were nowhere to be seen.

"Look!" Galmina exclaimed, pointing to something lying on the ground nearby. A dead body, belonging to an Imperial, who they both recognised as one of Romanus' builders. More alarming, however, was the fact that an arrow was jutting horribly from his forehead.

"We have to get back to Varo! Now!" Galmina cried. "Come on!"

The pair began running south, plunging back into the thick forest that lay between them and the mountain pass that led to Seyda Neen, after which they would follow the coast back to Ebonheart.

As they ran, Erdora froze as he heard rustling behind him. Something was following them. Drawing his axe, he spun round to see a Kagouti charging towards him. Desperately, Erdora swung his axe downwards two-handed, slamming it into the Kagouti's scalp and cleaving its skull in two, killing it instantly.

"Galmina! How many more are there?" he called.

"We're surrounded! They're everywhere!" Galmina cried back. "Keep running!"

Galmina ran as fast as she could through the trees, a Kagouti closing in behind her, when suddenly it froze and roared in pain as Erdora hewed its spine with his axe, paralysing it, then leapt over the creature in time to fell another.

Suddenly, a pack of three Kagouti reared up in front of Galmina. Instinctively, a green bolt of energy leapt from her hands, engulfing one of the creatures and paralysing it. One of the other Kagouti began to charge towards the pair, when suddenly it was struck in the side of the head by a spear. Galmina and Erdora looked around to see the source of the attack, and saw Rigs-Sails, ducked behind a bush carrying several other spears. One of them, he took in his right hand and hurled it overarm like a javelin, the spear piercing through the third Kagouti's torso and pinning it to a tree.

"Are you alright?" Rigs-Sails asked. "I moored at Seyda Neen to bring a cargo shipment and heard commotion"

"Get us out of here!" Galmina cried. "We need to find Varo! Now! I'll explain on the way!"

--

Varo Sinclair stood at the stern of the ship as Sea Monster negotiated it through the channels between the many small islands surrounding Vivec. Varo had ordered him to avoid going too far out to sea – Molag Mar was only visible from close to the shore, and he didn't want to miss it.

"_Commander!"_

Varo spun round to see Sten running towards him.

"What is it, Sten?" Varo asked him.

"I can see another boat, a dinghy, approaching us from the west!"

Varo and Sten raced to the bow of the ship, past a confused Sea Monster, to see the small dinghy closing down on them, being able to traverse the narrow channels much easier than the big frigate. It didn't take them long to recognise the three people on the dinghy – Galmina, Rigs-Sails and an Altmer they recognised as Erdora, one of Romanus' men.

"Sea Monster! Drop anchor!" Varo shouted over his shoulder. Sea Monster shouted an order to one of his deck-hands, and a few seconds later, the anchor's chain clattered out of its housing and the boat shuddered to a halt. The deck-hand cast a rope ladder off the side of the ship, which Rigs-Sails pulled the dinghy up to. Galmina leapt onto the rope ladder and quickly climbed up to the deck.

"Galmina? Why are you here?" Varo asked her. "Where's Romanus?"

"We were exploring some sort of underground tomb" Galmina said, speaking quickly and shakily. "Romanus, Alanar and Mistarie went ahead and set off some kind of trap. They're trapped in the tomb. When me and Erdora got out everyone else had gone, and we found one of Romanus' men dead with an arrow through his forehead!"

Varo opened his eyes wide. "Sea Monster, turn around. Set sail for Seyda Neen. Rigs-Sails, go back to Ebonheart. Get as many soldiers as you can fit in the dinghy then come and find us"

"Who do you think it could be?" Levisson asked, walking into the conversation. "Maybe it's the Sun And Moon Cult?"

"We just saw their ship heading for Molag Mar" Sea Monster said. "There's no way they could have got to Pelagiad that quickly, and Jurard says that they're a peaceful cult"

At that moment, Jurard also joined the conversation. "Yes, but bear in mind we don't know if that was the first ship they sent to the island. We don't know for a fact that we were the first people here. If they have been here for some time, and colonised the island as their own, then I'm sure they would take arms to defend their land"

"Whoever it was has been here for some time" Galmina said. "The trap that the others triggered was in full working order. The ruin had a functioning drainage system, and there was a corpse in there that hadn't been killed that long ago"

"Alright, listen everyone" Varo said loudly. "It is imperative that we get Romanus back and find what happened to the rest of his men. I think we may have to abandon the idea of building a new town on the site of Pelagiad until we know it's safe. When Romanus and his men are safe, I am going to resume my current quest and travel to Molag Mar"

--

_Seyda Neen, a few hours later_

Rigs-Sails ran his dinghy aground and seven Imperial Legion soldiers filed off it. Rigs-Sails grabbed his spear and followed them, joining Varo, Galmina, Erdora, Sten, Marinus and Levisson on the shore. Jurard was remaining on the ship with Sea Monster and his crew.

"I want marksmen at the front" Varo said. "Sten, Harlus, you two are on point. I will be right behind you. Galmina, I want you with me. Look out for anything dangerous. The first thing we need to do is reach Pelagiad and free Romanus"

Galmina clutched a small glass flask she was carrying, containing a volatile mixture of naphtha and fire salts, which she hoped would have sufficient combustible force to blow away the portcullis beneath Pelagiad.

--

"Two targets up ahead" Galmina whispered. Sten, the Imperial archer Mallis Harlus and Varo all halted. They were still in the forest, about fifty yards from the small clearing which marked the site where Pelagiad had once stood.

Sten peered through the trees, advancing slowly. "Two Dunmer" he said. "Both wearing bonemold armour"

"Take them down" Varo ordered. Sten fired his Dwemer crossbow, aiming skilfully through a gap between the trees. The bolt completed its journey in a fraction of a second, nailing one of the Dunmer in the forehead. The Dunmer's head snapped gruesomely backwards at 90 degrees as his lifeless body fell to the ground. The other Dunmer reacted immediately, firing his bow in the direction Sten's attack had come from. Varo ducked to narrowly avoid an arrow, which shot over his head and thudded into a tree behind him. Harlus returned fire, not hitting the Dunmer but managing to strike his bow, the arrow splitting the bow in two.

"Try and take him alive" Varo whispered. The Dunmer drew a sword and charged into the treeline, but had only made a few paces when Galmina paralysed him with a burst of magic. Immediately, Varo tackled him to the ground and relieved him of his sword, which he cast far into the treeline. Varo turned to two of his Legion soldiers who were advancing out of the trees.

"Don't let him escape" Varo said to them. "Only kill him if you absolutely have to. Galmina, where is this ruin?"

Suddenly, the Dunmer's movement returned. He let out a primal yell as he tried to break free of the strong grip of Stalar, a Redguard Legionnaire.

"Don't struggle, you'll make it worse" Varo said sharply to the Dunmer. "Who are you?"

The Dunmer did nothing but growl through bared teeth and continue to struggle.

"Who are you? How long have you been on this island?"

The Dunmer continued to growl, anger filling his red eyes.

"If you don't co-operate we will kill you" Varo said, drawing his sword and holding it against the Dunmer's throat. Suddenly, the Dunmer calmed, and slumped into Stalar's grip.

"Well, he understood that" Stalar said.

"Yes, but I think it was my sword, not my words that he understood" Varo replied. "Keep a sword on him and tell me if he says anything…"

Suddenly, an explosion of blood burst from Stalar's temple as he was struck by an arrow. Stalar froze and toppled over, the Dunmer wrenching himself free and racing back into the treeline. Varo turned to look for the Dunmer and Stalar's attacker, and at that moment noticed they were completely surrounded. Dunmer stood in a circle around the group, hiding in the treeline, all brandishing weapons.

"Who are they?" Galmina whispered. Varo turned to look at her.

"I don't know"


	4. Not Alone

Chapter 4 – Not Alone

**Chapter 4 – Not Alone**

"Down!" Varo shouted. Everyone under his command suddenly leapt to the ground. The move was fantastically planned – just as Varo had shouted the order, many of the Dunmer had fired arrows into the circle, which had then sailed straight over Varo's group, two of the arrows hitting other Dunmer and killing them.

"Break out!" Varo ordered. "Keep fighting until they back down! Galmina, go and get Romanus and the other two!"

Galmina sighted the hole that led down to the underground ruin, and got up to run towards it. As she did, two Dunmer leapt out of the treeline brandishing spears and charged at her.

"Covering fire!" Sten shouted, nailing one of the Dunmer with his crossbow. The other made a few more paces before Harlus took them down with his own bow. Galmina reached the hole and leapt down into it.

Varo's soldiers all broke out in a circular formation, charging into the treeline, ducking to avoid arrows and engaging the Dunmer in melee combat, whilst Sten and Harlus kept their bows primed, constantly firing volleys of arrows and forcing the Dunmer back into the trees. The Dunmer fought aggressively, swinging their swords and axes wildly with both hands, eventually forcing Varo's men back into the clearing into a tight circle, all holding up their shields to block the vicious attacks.

"Force them back! Force them back!" Varo shouted. As he did, the Dunmer he was sparring with suddenly froze and keeled over, a crossbow bolt jutting from the back of its neck. Varo leapt over the fallen Dunmer, as he did thrusting his sword into the abdomen of one of their comrades. He had broken the circle. Ever faithful to him, Marinus and Levisson leapt out of the circle, Levisson killing another Dunmer who tried to attack him. The battle was slowly swinging in their favour.

--

Galmina quickly completed the short journey to where Romanus, Alanar and Mistarie were trapped. Romanus breathed a loud sigh of relief when he saw her.

"Galmina, what the hell's going on up there?" he demanded.

"We are not alone on this island" Galmina replied. "They're Dunmer. We don't know who, but they're not well-equipped enough to be soldiers from the mainland and they're too violent to be the Sun and Moon Cult. Varo and his men are fighting them off"

"When did they arrive? Are my men alright?"

Galmina sighed. "When me and Erdora left you, we found one of your men dead and the others were nowhere to be seen. I'm sorry, Romanus"

"It's alright, you did the right thing fetching Varo. Just get us out of here"

"Alright, stand back"

Galmina emptied the contents of the glass phial, liberally coating the portcullis and pouring the rest onto the ground, the oily substance floating on top of the shallow layer of water. Galmina then took a few steps back and cast a lick of flame at the mixture of naphtha and fire salts – the fire salts ignited immediately, lighting the naphtha in a bright flash of light and intense heat. When it subsided, the gate toppled forwards, blown clean off the mechanism that had put it in place. The three trapped soldiers ran out.

"Come on" Romanus said urgently. "Varo needs us"

--

Varo plunged his sword into a hostile Dunmer, drawing his sword out and throwing it up just in time to block an attack from another. Varo had broken the Dunmer's circle – the battle had now turned into a mass brawl in the clearing, which his men were slowly winning. Varo saw a Dunmer run towards Levisson, who had his back turned to the Dunmer, ready to plunge their dagger into Levisson's back…

Suddenly, a throwing knife shot up out of a hole in the ground – the hole that led to the underground ruin – hitting the Dunmer in the side of his torso, causing him to double up and fall to the ground in pain. Mistarie, the Redguard soldier, leapt up out of the hole and smashed her mace down on the Dunmer's head, killing it. Alanar followed her, hewing another Dunmer's head clean from its body with his axe.

"They're retreating!" Sten shouted to Varo. There were only a few Dunmer left, and they were making for the treeline.

"Let them go!" Varo shouted. "Lay down your arms!"

All his soldiers stopped fighting and regrouped in the centre of the clearing. Galmina, Romanus, Mistarie and Alanar joined them.

"Thanks for coming to our aid, Varo" Romanus said to Varo. "Who are our new friends?"

"I don't know who they are" Varo replied. "I don't suggest following them immediately. I imagine they have set up an ambush in the forest. Their tracks will be easy to follow – we will rest and recuperate, then see where they came from"

"What about my men?" Romanus asked him.

"I hope that by following the tracks we will find them. Where were they heading?"

Romanus produced his map and compass. However, as soon as he looked at his compass he noticed that the needle was spinning wildly instead of remaining still. Romanus cast the compass to the ground and used his map to orientate himself.

"They went north-west, towards the Foyada Mamaea" Romanus said. "My guess is that they live in Fort Moonmoth or Balmora, or what's left of them"

--

_Molag Mar, earlier that day_

"The Temple lies ruined. A final act of irony against the false gods"

Father Velas stepped down from the stern of the ship.

"Soon a temple to Azura will stand on its foundations, Father" Matari replied. "Molag Mar will be a tribute to Azura greater than has ever been seen in Tamriel"

As the _Twin Moons, _Matari Arranama's ship, drew up along the eastern shoreline of Molag Mar, himself and Father Velas took in the glory of Molag Mar for the first time. Unlike what they had seen of the remains of Vivec and Suran, Molag Mar was still more or less intact. Dark green mould coated the enormous stone tower's eroded exterior, and sections of its upper walkway had collapsed. The buildings atop the tower, including the Almsivi temple, had born the brunt of damage by rainfall and were now little more than ruins. But other than that, Molag Mar was the greatest remain of old Vvardenfell.

Father Velas had long promised to lead the Sun and Moon Cult to better lands, away from the mainland where they were ostracised by the godless, or by those who had decamped to worship of the Nine Divines. Then when a new priest, Matari Arranama, had seen the glory of Azura and joined the cult, things began to change. Matari was the captain of a merchant ship which sailed the coasts of Morrowind, but as soon as Vvardenfell had been declared safe, himself and Father Velas had set sail for the island, taking anyone who wanted to come with them. Velas had ambitious plans – he wanted to create further cities where their centrepiece was a temple to Azura. He had heard stories of a shrine to Azura on the east coast of the island which, unlike many of Vvardenfell's other Daedric shrines, still stood intact, and he had heard of the legendary Cavern of the Incarnate, where Azura had blessed Nerevarine with the Moon-and-Star.

Shortly, the _Twin Moons _moored at the base of Molag Mar's tower, at an artificially-created area of deep water which Matari guessed to be an old anchorage. As he did, Father Velas threw open the hatch that led below decks.

"Friends, we have reached our new home"

As people began to file out of the lower decks, Matari and Father Velas took in the surroundings. Old accounts of Molag Mar spoke of it being surrounded by desolate ashlands, but it was no longer the case. The more verdant lands to the south had slowly spread around the city, surrounding it with rough grass and a few trees. Beyond the mountains that surrounded Molag Mar, the wilderness of Molag Amur stretched around them in all directions.

"These lands are fertile" Father Velas said. "They will provide us with means to live"

"Father, look!" someone called to Father Velas. He recognised them as a young woman known as Amari Sarano, a keen explorer and also well-versed in the geography of Vvardenfell. Amari was pointing to the wall of the giant canton. Something was inscribed on it.

As Matari laid a plank from the deck of the ship to the edge of the canton, Father Velas strode across it, Amari following close behind him. The inscription was in Daedric, carved deep into the stone to stop it being worn away by the passage of time. Father Velas translated.

-

_The Teeth that Gnash are found in here_

_A place of which there is not one, but three_

_Beneath the Seven Cantons_

_Nerevarine's prophecy can be fulfilled_

-

Amari looked blankly at Father Velas. "'Beneath The Seven Cantons' must refer to Vivec, but The Teeth that Gnash? Nerevarine's prophecy?"

Father Velas read the inscription over and over. "I believe only Azura can help us understand this"

--

_The Foyada Mamaea, later that day_

Led by Sten, Varo and Raminus' men clambered up the dried lava flow that had filled the Foyada. Originally, a path had led through the deep, barren canyon to Balmora, but the eruption of Red Mountain had filled the canyon with lava, meaning the group could simply walk across it.

As they walked, Galmina stopped and stooped down to pick something up on the surface of the lava flow.

"What's that?" Varo asked, examining the small, dark object Galmina had found. It was a heavy material, part crystal and part metal. Varo tossed it to Romanus.

"Ebony" Varo called to Romanus. "I think this might be a good place for your mine"

"Why was it lying on the surface?" Galmina asked.

"Rock gets eroded by rain but ebony doesn't" Romanus explained. "If you look around I imagine there's other deposits of it on the surface. The rock around it gets eroded and just leaves it sitting on the surface"

"That, or someone left it here so we would find it" Galmina said. "One of your miners, perhaps"

--

"Well, they won't be in Fort Moonmoth" Sten remarked as they approached where the fort had once stood. It was now little more than a ring of crumbled stone a few feet high.

"Onwards to Balmora, then" Varo said.

"I doubt there will be an easy way into the city" Romanus said, studying his map. "Every path from the south that led to the gates crossed the Odai river at some point"

"Yes, but I imagine the walls don't quite have the same integrity they used to" Varo replied.

As the group approached Balmora, they were greeted with the sight of another ruined city. Like Vivec, Balmora was built from pale brown stone and mortar which had been decimated by rainfall, and vine-like plants had grown into the city, climbing over and subsequently destroying the wall that surrounded the city. However, there were some signs of intervention. The vines had been cut back before they could reach the city and grow into cracks in the buildings and cause further damage.

"Eyes peeled, Sten" Varo whispered. "I think we've found where they live"

Suddenly, Varo heard a sharp impact and a choking sound behind him. He turned round and saw one of his Legion soldiers falling to the ground, an arrow jutting from their neck.

"Ambush!" Varo shouted, leaping to the ground as another arrow sailed over his head. Sten quickly located the marksman and fired back, hitting them in their chest and sending them flying backwards, tumbling down the hillside into the Odai river. At that moment, three more Dunmer raced over the hills to the south, all brandishing swords and axes, and lunged into Varo's group. More Dunmer emerged from the ruins of Fort Moonmoth, attacking them from behind.

"Form up! Don't get forced into a circle again!" Varo shouted as Galmina ran over to him.

"Varo, I can't defend myself!" she cried.

"Don't worry, just stay close" Varo said to her. "Do whatever you can to help"

Varo drew his sword and charged towards the hillside, where several more Dunmer were emerging. One swung a chitin axe at him, but he returned a swordstroke, splitting the axe clean in two, then hewed the Dunmer's head clean from his body.

"_Varo! There's more coming from the city!" _Sten shouted to him.

"Hold them off! Harlus, get up there with Sten!"

Varo looked around. They were outnumbered almost two-to-one…

"Varo! Behind you!" Galmina shouted. Varo spun round and instinctively thrust his sword forwards, piercing through the chest of a Dunmer who froze as Varo's blade severed their spinal column, their axe raised above their head ready to strike.

"Push forward!" Varo shouted. "Don't retreat! Form a wall at the base of the hill!"

Levisson, Marinus and Erdora all heard the command and raced to the base of the hill, where two heavily-armoured Dunmer were charging towards them. The three of them ducked behind their tower shields, which the Dunmer, carried by their momentum, crashed clumsily into. Levisson pushed forward with his shield, pinning one of the Dunmer to the ground before severing their neck with his sword, whilst Erdora swung his battle-axe horizontally and the other Dunmer met a similar fate.

"Varo!" Galmina called. "It's Sea Monster!"

Varo did a double-take at Galmina's words, but nothing could prepare him for the shock of what he saw when he turned round. Sea Monster's ship was charging up the Odai River towards Balmora! On the deck, one of Sea Monster's crew, the Khajiit S'Barama, stood with a bow firing at the group of Dunmer who were approaching Varo's group from the city.

"That's the distraction we need!" Varo shouted. "Galmina, come with me! Romanus, you're in charge!"

Romanus was stood with Galmina – unarmed, he was trying to stay out of the fight.

"I don't have a weapon, Varo!" he called. Levisson picked up a sword from a fallen Dunmer and threw it to Romanus.

"You do now" Levisson called to him. "Now help us fight!"

Varo and Galmina raced towards the ship, which had slowed down, blocking the attacking Dunmer on the opposite shore of the Odai, where they had emerged from the old city gate. A rope ladder was dropped over the side of the deck, which Varo and Galmina clambered up.

"Sten, come on!" Varo called down to the Nord. "I need some cover!"

As Varo raced across the deck, Rigs-Sails clambered down from the crow's nest carrying a spear, which he hurled off the side of the ship, impaling a plucky Dunmer who was attempting to board it.

"Galmina, try and find Romanus' men! They must be in Balmora somewhere!"

Galmina looked around. "There" she said, pointing to a large, square building which seemed to have avoided being ruined. "There's a lot of people standing still in there"

Varo looked at the building as Sten and S'Barama launched a volley of arrows into the few remaining Dunmer on the western shore. There was a large orange dome on top of it. Varo knew enough about old Vvardenfell to recognise it as a Tribunal temple.

Varo and Galmina leapt from the deck onto the western shore of the Odai, as two well-aimed arrows killed the final two Dunmer. For now, they were safe.

"Did you see how they attacked?" Varo asked Galmina. "Just like the Kagouti in Ebonheart. They were trying to surround us and break us up"

--

From street-level, Balmora looked almost as it would have done five hundred years ago. Most of the porches of the buildings had collapsed, the glass was long gone from their windows and the signs and banners outside the commercial buildings had long perished, but the buildings' walls seemed to be in a remarkably good state – someone or something was looking after the city.

"How did Sea Monster find us?" Galmina asked as the pair ran for the temple.

"I told him to sail up here and see what the state of Balmora was" Varo replied. "He just happened to turn up at exactly the right time"

The pair reached the temple unhindered and burst inside, finding Romanus' group of builders and surveyors all tied up roughly with rope.

"Commander! Thank the Nine…" one of them said. "We had almost given up hope!"

"You'll soon realise that you should never give up hope with me" Varo replied, as he began using his sword to cut through the bindings. Galmina summoned a dagger and began to do the same, and before long they were all free.

"You've been here for a while" Varo said to no-one in particular. "Do you know who these Dunmer are?"

A Nord miner spoke. "No, but the way they act just isn't quite right. I've never heard any of them talk. They just seem to grunt at each other. They've made no attempts at properly rebuilding Balmora either. Most of the buildings are empty, and they just sleep on the ground outside around fires"

"I…" Galmina began, but then hesitated.

"What is it?" Varo asked her.

"I think they might have been here for longer than we thought" Galmina said nervously. "Maybe some people in the remote parts of the island managed to survive the eruption of Red Mountain and the reign of House Dagoth. Tribal people, like Ashlanders. And with no contact with civilisation, they must have gradually lost all their civilised ways, like talking and sleeping in beds. They've become primal again"

Varo smiled at Galmina. "I'm really glad I brought you with me to this island. I wonder how many of them there are…"

"They have the whole island to choose from when it comes to making camp" a Redguard man said. "It would make sense for them to gravitate towards the least-ruined cities. I reckon this is your lot"

"We'd better make sure the others are alright" Varo said. "Then I'll get Sea Monster to take everyone back to Ebonheart. I think we've had enough adventure for one day"


	5. The Leader And The Creator

**Chapter 5 – The Leader and The Creator**

_The Teeth that Gnash are found in here_

_A place of which there is not one, but three_

_Beneath the Seven Cantons_

_Nerevarine's prophecy can be fulfilled_

Varo opened his eyes and sat up. He had been at the foot of Red Mountain, a strange, otherworldly voice chanting those same words to him over and over again, when the volcano had erupted. Then, he had woken up. Looking around the large hall of Ebonheart castle, he saw Galmina sitting bolt upright, as if waking from a similar dream.

"Are you alright, Galmina?" Varo asked her.

"Yes, I just had a strange dream" Galmina replied. "You were in it with me. We were in Vivec, approaching the old palace, then I woke up"

"I've been having a recurring dream ever since I got here" Varo said. "I don't trust this island. We'd better get up, there's a lot to do today"

A few minutes later, whilst Varo was outside gazing south over the sea and taking in the fresh morning air, Romanus approached him.

"I wish to go back to Pelagiad" Romanus said. "We know what we're up against now. Dunmer tribesmen. We know we can beat them, so we can build our new city"

"It's too dangerous, Romanus" Varo said. "The first thing I am going to do is go to Molag Mar and make peace with whoever landed there a few days ago"

"Alright, you go off on your little expedition and I'll go and build my mine" Romanus said dryly.

"Romanus, have you forgotten where you are? This island is fascinating! There are more important matters to attend to than building a mine. We don't even know what else is on the island. For all we know there could be hundreds of people living in the West Gash beyond Balmora"

"You can go off exploring if you want" Romanus said. "I know we have different reasons for being here"

"I won't pretend to be in charge of you and your men" Varo sighed. "Go and build your mine. I'll be there in a few days to check everything's alright"

Shortly after, Romanus' men left Ebonheart via a new rope bridge that connected the old town, built on a small island, to the mainland to the north. Without Sea Monster to shorten the journey for them, it would take them most of the day to walk to Pelagiad. Varo, meanwhile, began assembling the people he was going to take to Molag Mar – his small team consisted of his more trusted group within the party he had brought. Galmina and Jurard, his two oldest friends. Sea Monster, who had provided Varo with a ship and crew whenever he had needed it in the last decade. Sten Hawk-Eye, an old friend of Sea Monster's who had also served under Varo for a long time. Runo Marinus and Tertius Levisson, his two second-in-commands.

--

_Molag Mar, later that day_

"Lower your weapon, Sten" Varo called. "We don't want them to think we're hostile"

Sten, leaning out over the bow of the ship, slung his crossbow over his back. The ship was approaching Molag Mar from the southeast, Sea Monster skilfully negotiating the straits between mountainous islands and peninsulas. Already, they could see another ship, a galleon much larger than Sea Monster's small clipper, moored at the base of Molag Mar's canton. The flag of the Sun and Moon Cult could clearly be seen flying from its mast.

"Drop anchor next to their ship" Varo said to Sea Monster. Sea Monster slowly drew the ship in next to the canton wall, just as the anchor rattled out of its housing. Rigs-Sails placed a plank between the deck and the walkway surrounding the canton, and Varo went to step off, Galmina following close behind him. Varo turned to face his people.

"Remember, we are trying to make friends" Varo said. "Weapons are a last resort"

"Someone's coming, Varo" Galmina whispered. Varo spun round to see a young Dunmer man cautiously approaching them. He was dressed in robes, but still had a mace sheathed around his waist.

"We come to you in peace!" Varo called to him. The Dunmer reached the plank connecting the ship to the shore and bowed to Varo.

"In that case, welcome to Molag Mar. My name is Selvio Drath"

"I am Commander Varo Sinclair of the East Empire Company. Are you of the Sun and Moon Cult?"

"That's correct" Selvio replied. "The Cult have claimed ownership of Molag Mar. We plan to build a grand temple to Azura here"

"Who is your leader, Selvio?" Varo asked. "I must speak to him…"

"Are you alright, Commander?" Selvio asked Varo as he stopped talking mid-sentence.

Varo pointed at the wall of the canton. "That inscription. I recognise that series of symbols. They came before me in a dream…"

"They are Daedric" Selvio said. "Father Velas translated them. It reads 'The Teeth that Gnash are found in here, a place of which there is not one, but three, beneath the Seven Cantons, Nerevarine's prophecy can be fulfilled'"

"Those words were in my dream too…" Varo said nervously.

"The third line is a reference to Vivec" Selvio said. "That is all we have deduced so far"

"Nerevarine's prophecy" Jurard said. "Many forget what the Nerevarine prophecy actually was. Most people thought that he was prophecised to destroy Dagoth Ur, but actually the Nerevarine prophecy stated that the Nerevarine would drive the outlanders from Vvardenfell and unite the Dunmer people"

"Suddenly I don't feel welcome anymore" Varo said.

"You are all welcome here" Selvio replied. "Come with me, I will introduce you to Father Velas"

--

_The old site of Pelagiad, later that day_

"What is wrong with this compass?" Romanus said to himself. As earlier, what his compass indicated as north and what was actually north were two very different things.

"Where's it pointing?" Erdora asked, approaching him.

"Almost exactly due west, towards the Foyada" Romanus replied. Erdora produced his own compass and looked at it – the needle spun wildly before eventually settling and pointing west, like Romanus'.

"Do you have something made of iron?" Romanus asked him. "An arrowhead. Anything"

"Here" Erdora said, handing Romanus an iron dagger from his belt. "Waste of eight drakes. I've never used it in my life"

Romanus cast the dagger high up in the air. However, instead of falling straight back down to the ground, it moved noticeably to the west in mid-air as it flew.

"There's something magnetic to the west" Romanus said. "My guess is it was brought up by the eruption and it's buried in that lava flow"

"You know, I was one of the few of the mercenaries who actually read your briefing document" Erdora said.

"What do you mean?"

"There was a section about how if we found anything interesting or unusual here, the Empire would stop at nothing to get Vvardenfell for themselves. I think this classes as both"

"I wanted to sink a shaft to mine ebony from first" Romanus said. "But now we need to find whatever is causing this magnetism. Gather everyone up and tell them we're heading west"

--

"Father Velas, this is Commander Varo Sinclair of the East Empire Company" Selvio said, bowing before Father Velas in his yurt atop Molag Mar.

"An honour, truly" the elderly Dunmer said, getting up from his chair. "How long have you and your people been here?"

Apart from Selvio and Father Velas, Varo and Galmina were the only people in the large yurt. The rest of his men were outside talking to the Sun and Moon cultists.

"Only a few days" Varo replied. "We saw your ship passing by on our second day. It hasn't been an easy few days"

"We know there are some things on this island that just shouldn't be" Father Velas said.

"There's other people on this island. Dunmer tribespeople. We think they have somehow managed to survive since the eruption and have reverted to their primal ways. They're not very friendly towards us"

"Commander, there are many obstacles that stand between us and civilisation in Vvardenfell. Would you join hands with us to overcome these obstacles?"

"That is why I came here" Varo said. "I see no reason that we should fight each other"

The pair stood up and shook hands, forging the first alliance to be made in Vvardenfell for many years.

"Father, might I speak to you about the inscription on the walls?" Varo said quietly. Father Velas nodded and Selvio left the room, but Galmina stayed.

--

Outside, Sea Monster and Rigs-Sails sat idly on the deck of the ship.

"All I'm saying is, I'm surprised that the Four Houses of Morrowind haven't sent anyone to the island yet"

"They will, in time, I expect" Sea Monster replied. "And I don't think they will be as friendly as the Azura folk are"

"They can have this damn island for all I care" Rigs-Sails replied. "Primal tribespeople, strange inscriptions on 500-year-old walls, ancient ruined cities…"

"It almost makes Black Marsh look civilised" Sea Monster laughed. Rigs-Sails glared at him.

"Maybe they're waiting" Rigs-Sails said. "They will wait for us to build new roads and cities, then attack and take it for themselves"

"In any case, we won't be here for too long" Sea Monster said. "We were only meant to be bringing Varo and his people over here, but he's paying me good money to sail him around the southern coast. But soon he won't need a big ship anymore, just little ferries connecting the coastal towns"

"Not too soon, though" Rigs-Sails replied. "It's been, what, nearly a week now? And we're still living in the remains of Ebonheart castle"

"Romanus has gone off surveying" Sea Monster said. "I overheard him and Varo this morning. I think they've fallen out a bit"

--

On top of the lava flow that had filled the Foyada, Erdora raced over to Romanus clutching a piece of raw ebony that he had found on the lava bed's surface.

"Romanus, look!" Erdora called to him.

"What?" Romanus replied. "I'm busy, Erdora. And you should be at your post"

Erdora let the nugget of ebony fall to the ground. "Try and pick it up"

Romanus sighed, stooped down and grabbed the nugget. He managed to lift it with effort, but it felt like it was stuck to the surface of the lava bed.

"It's the magnetism, Erdora" Romanus replied. "We know it's there. It's why our compasses don't work"

"Yes, but, Romanus… Ebony isn't magnetic"

--

"_Commander!"_

Varo and Father Velas' conversation was interrupted by a voice from outside. Varo identified it as Sten's.

"It's my marksman" Varo said to Father Velas. "Please excuse me"

"You may enter!" Father Velas called loudly. Sten emerged through the fabric flaps that marked the entrance to the yurt.

"What is it, Sten?" Varo asked him.

"It's Jurard" Sten replied. "He's acting quite strangely?"

"You interrupted me to tell me that Jurard is acting strangely?" Varo said impatiently. "Evidently you don't know him as well as me. What's he doing?"

"He asked me, Marinus and Levisson to go to an island off the west coast with him" Sten replied. "He wants Sea Monster to come with us as well for some reason. He won't tell us why, and he says you know nothing about it"

Varo sighed. "Father, I'm afraid my people are the most important thing to me. I will have to deal with this. Sten, tell everyone to get back to the ship"

"I look forward to meeting again, Commander" Father Velas said, shaking Varo by the hand. "I hope the next few days are easier on you"

--

On the ship heading back to Ebonheart, Varo decided to confront Jurard. He had ordered Rigs-Sails to pull the dinghy from the flank of the ship and onto the deck, and approached Jurard flanked by Marinus and Levisson, cornering him at the stern of the ship.

"What's on this island, Jurard?" Varo demanded. Jurard looked at him blankly.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about" Varo continued. "Sten told me everything. If you've got a good reason for going somewhere, I want to hear it"

"I have to tell you something, Varo" Jurard said softly, nervously looking at the two soldiers standing either side of Varo. "Helping you wasn't exactly the main reason why I came here"

"What do you mean?"

"I can explain it better when we get back to Ebonheart. But I think something of immense value to us lies on that island"

For the rest of the journey, Jurard refused to elaborate. However, as soon as the ship moored at the newly-constructed harbour at Ebonheart, Jurard raced towards the castle and returned a few minutes later carrying a scroll.

"A distant ancestor of mine lived on this island" Jurard explained. "Her name was Maurrie Aurmine. She fell in love with a Dunmer wildman, Nelos Onmar, who showed her the sights of Vvardenfell, those well-known and those that were a secret to almost everyone else. She recorded these in her diary. Most of it was fairly uninspiring but one passage has been kept in my family since then"

"May I?" Varo said, taking the scroll from Jurard and reading it.

_Nelos led me through the strange ruin. What an incredible sight! An entire town, built underground aeons ago, forged from a strange metal, filled with fantastic machines, most of which were still running, albeit serving no obvious purpose. He bravely fought off the strange, mechanical creatures that guarded the tunnels and chambers of this ancient Dwemer building. What was he going to show me that he would risk his life so much for? Nelos pointed out that this was the only Dwemer ruin in the whole of western Vvardenfell. I think he was right – the only one I had ever seen was the distant view of Mzahnch that can be seen from the towers of Vivec. Dwemer ruins are apparently normally found in Molag Amur and the Ashlands – two places I hope I never find myself! Then, as Nelos led me into the depths of the ruin, we came to it. I guessed correctly that by this time we would be at about the same level as the sea, and I was right! We entered a huge, flooded cavern, parts of it plated with metal, some left as bare rock, with an enormous metal door built into one side of the cavern. But the most remarkable thing lay in the water itself. A ship! A ship like I had never seen before! It was wide and squat, not tall and sleek like the galleys and clippers I so often saw sailing from Vivec and Ebonheart. And it was made entirely of metal! The same metal that the building itself was made from. I wondered how it could possibly float, and how it moved as it had no visible sails. Nelos explained to me that there was a huge coal-burning furnace in the ship which somehow would move the great ship. To this day I still cannot believe it – ships are elegant wooden craft powered by wind and oar, not metallic monstrosities driven by steam!_

_As far as I know, the ship still lies there at the time of my writing this. Nelos has not told anyone else about his discovery, nor do I intend to. I only hope that whoever reads this deems themselves worthy enough to return to Vvardenfell and claim this magnificent feat of engineering for themselves…_

"Jurard, you really should have told me about this" Varo said, handing the scroll back to Jurard. "We need this ship. We're leaving at first light tomorrow"

--

_Molag Mar, Father Velas' yurt_

Amani Sarano, the young cleric, burst into Father Velas' yurt.

"Amani!" Father Velas exclaimed. "You need to learn some manners!"

"Forgive me, Father" Amani replied. "The explorers found something just northeast of the town. I _really _think you should come and see"

--

Half an hour later, Amani and Father Velas disembarked the _Twin Moons' _small dinghy, which Amani had paddled ashore. The ship had sailed around a peninsula to the east of the city, past a ruined Daedric shrine, to a once-desolate area of coast that had once marked the edge of the barren volcanic wasteland of Molag Amur. However, thick, lush grass now coated the coastline, with a small strip of dark ash sand still clinging to the coastline. Beyond the grassy plains, the pair could see a small group of people – Selvio, along with Father Indarys, another priest, and the soldier Janas Ormaren – Father Velas' band of explorers. However, what they were stood at the foot of was truly remarkable. It was a small hill, no more than a few hundred feet high, but it had split vertically clean in two down its centre, leaving a rift a good metre wide which ran all the way from the foot of the mountain to the shoreline.

When Amani and Father Velas caught up with the explorers, Selvio ran across to meet them.

"What happened here?" Father Velas asked Selvio.

"It must have been an earthquake caused by Red Mountain erupting" Selvio replied. "This rift runs for at least a mile inland. But it's what's at the bottom of it that's important"

"Why? What is it?"

"Come and see for yourself!"

Father Velas and Amani followed Selvio to the point where the rift sliced through the foot of the mountain. Selvio pointed diagonally downward into the rift, into the bowels of the mountain. Father Velas and Amani followed his direction and what they saw took their breath away – the entire mountain, from a few metres below the surface, was made of glass.

"Glass is made when lava cools quickly then is buried for many years" Selvio explained. "There must have been a volcanic eruption here thousands of years ago. I think water must have flowed here at some point, creating these valleys, and that's why the lava would have cooled so quickly. Then Red Mountain ripped this geological upstart apart and revealed its hidden treasures"

"Incredible" Father Velas mused. "Father Indarys, see if you agree with me on this matter. I will tell Commander Sinclair where this lode is so he can build his mine here, if he and his soldiers help us reach the Azura shrine and the Cavern of the Incarnate"

"They are our friends, and so we should treat them as friends would" the elderly priest replied. "We should tell Matari to sail the _Twin Moons _to Ebonheart to deliver a message"


	6. Only A Matter Of Time

Chapter 6 – Only A Matter Of Time

**Chapter 6 – Only A Matter Of Time**

As soon as Varo saw the twin masts of whichever ship Commander Hermidius had commandeered from Fort Frostmoth's docks, he leapt down from his vantage point atop the ruined upper floors of Ebonheart castle. It was a secret weapon Varo had decided to unleash when he had discovered that Vvardenfell was more inhabited than he first thought. Varo had sent a messenger to the mainland in the smaller second dinghy from Sea Monster's ship, who had then caught a fast cargo clipper to Solstheim and delivered a note to Commander Ralix Hermidius, a fellow Legion Commander who Varo had fought alongside for many years.

"_Progress, Reform and Rediscovery – The Reclaiming of Vvardenfell", First Edition, Varus Mentilius, first published 4E503. (Extract)_

…_Solstheim, which five hundred years ago had found itself suddenly inundated with the entire non-Dunmer population of Vvardenfell, had undergone extensive urbanisation. Fort Frostmoth and its surrounding buildings had merged into the mining town of Raven Rock and also expanded northwards through the less hostile parts of Solstheim's wilderness, eventually meeting up with the small village of Thirsk. Policing this chaotic melting pot of cultures seemed a daunting task – not only were Imperial holdings being flooded with aspects of Altmer, Bosmer, Redguard, Argonian, Khajiit and Breton culture (most Orsimer in Vvardenfell having already become integrated into Imperial culture thanks to chiefly serving the Imperial Cult or East Empire Company), but the civilised southern half of the island soon clashed with the Nordic tribes of the north, echoing the ongoing conflict between the Great House-governed towns of old Vvardenfell and Ashlander tribes. _

_As a result, many Imperial soldiers were moved from Cyrodiil to Solstheim, as well as many folk of other races enlisting purely to earn a living. However, this was widely seen as unnecessary as this new world integrated itself almost seamlessly. The Thieves' Guild disbanded in Solstheim as it found itself inoperable in such a small, tightly-knit community and the Cammona Tong stubbornly remained in Vvardenfell, eventually retreating to mainland Morrowind along with House Hlaalu. Free from the slightly oppressive behaviour they had put up with for so long from Vvardenfell's ruling houses, the emigrants settled into an easy-going, trusting way of life, turning Solstheim into the thriving hub of trade it is today. Alliances and cease-fires were called with the Nord tribespeople, and soon Solstheim found itself with an army it did not need…_

Varo ran up to Jurard in the castle hall, who was packing a small sack with potions and scrolls.

"Hermidius' ship is on the horizon" Varo said to him. "We can leave now. I'm willing to take the chance that nothing will attack us between now and when Hermidius docks"

"Excellent" Jurard replied. "I have marked out a route on a map which takes us past where the town of Caldera and the fortress of Hlormaren used to be located. I imagine they will be worth investigating, if nothing else"

"I just hope Balmora is safe now" Varo said. "I don't want to encumber us with soldiers. This is an expedition, not a major machination"

Varo then approached Marinus, who was talking to some of the other Legion soldiers.

"Marinus, I'm taking a few people up the Bitter Coast. You said that you and Levisson needed to rest, so here's your time to rest. You're in charge until I get back"

"What if you don't come back?" Marinus replied. "We have no idea what lurks any further north than Balmora"

"I will come back" Varo said reassuringly. "Whatever happens, I will come back"

A few minutes later, Varo and Jurard, along with Galmina, Sten, Sea Monster and two Legion soldiers, Valmenus Arcturus and Hrundus, left Ebonheart by the now-very sturdy wooden bridge that led north onto the mainland. The trip was a logistical problem – Sea Monster could not take his ship to the Dwemer ruin because the very reason they were going there was to recover another ship; Sea Monster was there to bring it back. There were too many of them to fit in the dinghy, so they had no option but to walk.

The walk took them all day. They met no resistance apart from occasional Nix-Hounds and Kagouti which Sten took down before they had a chance to get close enough to attack.

After crossing the Foyada Mamaea and being shown the strange magnetic properties of the lava bed by Romanus, they continued through Balmora, which was now deserted, and onwards to Caldera. Caldera had suffered a similar fate to Pelagiad – its wood had rotted and its stone crumbled, leaving almost no trace that it had been there. The wooden buttresses supporting the town's ebony mine had also collapsed, causing a cave-in which had sealed off most of the mine.

Hlormaren, the ancient Dunmer stronghold of the Bitter Coast, still stood proud when viewed from a distance, and when the group reached it they found that, bar a few areas of collapsed roof and very worn-looking and mould-ridden exterior walls, it was still perfectly habitable.

"This would make a good site for a new town" Varo remarked. "We already have a castle and we can easily build a dock"

Soon, the Dwemer ruins of Aleft loomed in front of the seven. The ruin sat atop a hill, bridging a narrow strait between two islands of the many that made up a small archipelago that surrounded the stretch of coastline where Hlormaren was situated. Beyond the ruin, the remains of a small Daedric shrine could be seen, still standing stubbornly against nature's destruction. The Dwemer ruin had suffered more, however. Its two exterior towers had collapsed, and a line of rubble indicated where a stone wall had once stood. The circular door leading into the ruin had long since rusted and fallen from its hinges.

"Hopefully it's still empty in there" Jurard said. "The diary said that all the occupants were killed, it depends if anything else has decided to call it home…"

Varo ordered the group to ensure they were all wearing their rings given to them by an Imperial Cult enchanter, rings which would protect them against the blight and Corprus – legend had it that a large Sixth House base was located nearby, and there was no way of proving whether the dreaded diseases still thrived on the island.

"Hmm, Gnaar Mok should be over there…" Galmina remarked, pointing northward. In the distance, a squat, ruined stone wall was all that remained of the old fishing village, which had been mostly built from wooden huts.

"I have decided to accept that all the old towns will no longer be there" Varo said to her. "That way I'm pleasantly surprised if we find anywhere that's still standing. Come on"

With Sten on point, and Varo and Arcturia close behind him, the seven entered the Dwemer building. Evidently rain had found its way into Aleft, a fact betrayed by the rust that lined the metallic walls of the corridor they found themselves in, and the lights that once illuminated its passageways were all either smashed or simply not working. The corridor led down a steep flight of stairs then around a corner – Galmina cast a bright light on herself, lighting the way.

The journey through Aleft was fairly featureless until the seven reached a large circular door, which had a padlock on it which had been visibly broken open a long time ago.

"Wait, can you hear that?" Hrundus said suddenly, turning to face back the way they came.

"What is it?" Varo asked.

"Footfalls, high up above us"

The other six strained their ears. Hrundus was right – the sound of boots impacting upon metal could be heard high up in Aleft, near the entrance.

Sten moved to the rear of the group and raised his crossbow.

"Wait, Sten" Varo ordered. "Let's see who it is before we attack"

The doorway was at the end of a long, straight corridor. If they didn't like the look of whoever else was in Aleft they could easily all get through the door and barricade it shut before the others caught up with them.

After three extremely tense minutes, the source of the bootfalls rounded the corner.

Fifteen Dunmer soldiers.

"Leave none alive!" one of the soldiers, evidently the commanding officer, shouted to his men. Hearing this, Sten drew his Dwemer crossbow and fired, the bolt shooting down the corridor and striking the commanding officer in the chest, piercing straight through his bonemould armour.

"Form up, everyone!" Varo ordered.

"No, Commander!" Arcturus shouted as Sten fired another bolt. "Get the others to safety! We can hold them!"

_Arcturus is right, _Varo thought. He had three people with him who weren't skilled in combat, three people who he simply could not afford to lose. Sten had already killed one of the soldiers and seriously wounded another, and Arcturus and Hrundus were two of the best melee fighters Varo knew.

"Meet us outside" Varo said to Hrundus and Arcturus. "Talos guide you"

With that, Sea Monster threw the circular door open and ran through it, followed by Jurard, Galmina and finally Varo. Nothing could quite prepare them for the sight of the chamber they entered.

They were in an enormous, flooded underground cavern. Parts of the wall were lined with metal, or had walkways built upon them, but most of it was bare rock. A bridge spanned the flooded chasm to a passageway which led up out of the cavern, evidently to another entrance or another part of Aleft. And there, in the middle of the huge underground lake, was the Dwemer ship.

The ship was big, about the same size as the Sun and Moon Cult's galleon, but forged entirely from a dull golden metal, and much wider and shorter. At the rear of the ship was what looked like a very wide waterwheel, connected by cogs to some hidden mechanism within the ship.

"Who were they, Varo?" Jurard asked, breaking the silence.

"They weren't tribesmen, that's for sure" Varo replied. "They could speak, they were organised and they were well-equipped"

"So, who are they?"

"It's the Grand Council" Varo said ominously. "The alliance of the Four Houses. They have finally decided to join us here. And they want Vvardenfell for themselves"

"We could get away through that passage" Sea Monster said, pointing across the cavern. "I don't know where it leads, but it must be safer than in here"

Varo looked at the three people surrounding him. An eccentric, bookish scholar, a mage skilled mainly in healing, mysticism and alchemy, and a Nord sailor. There was no way they could fight. He had just possibly let two of his best soldiers and the marksman who had never left his side since their arrival in Vvardenfell sacrifice themselves so that he could escape. There had to be another way out.

There was.

The ship.

"Sea Monster, do you think you can sail that thing?" Varo asked the Nord, pointing to the ship.

"Probably not, but I'll give it a damn good try" Sea Monster replied.

Sea Monster made for a metal gangway that connected the ship to the walkway the four were standing on, and raced across it onto the deck of the ship. The other three followed him as Sea Monster raced for the helm.

"It works by steam!" Galmina called to him. "We need to fire the furnaces up!"

"Dwemer furnaces never stop burning unless they are actively put out" Jurard said. "Since there were no Dwarves around to put it out we can assume that it's still running"

"Jurard!" Varo shouted. "Stop the lecture and find out how to activate this!"

Varo was at the ship's stern, standing next to a steam-powered ballista mounted on the deck, essentially a much larger version of Sten's Dwemer crossbow. Varo had tried to fire it but no steam was going to it.

At the helm of the ship, Sea Monster grabbed a crank next to the ship's wheel and turned it as far as it would go. There was a deep roar in the bowels of the ship as steam began to belch out of the ship's colossal chimney. This was followed by the sound of white water as the wheel at the rear of the ship came to life and began to churn up the seawater. Slowly, the craft began to move towards the two enormous metal doors that made up one side of the cavern.

"Damnit, the doors! Galmina!" Varo shouted. Galmina was already ahead of him, standing at the bow of the ship. She threw a hand up to a large crank set into a wall near the doors, accessible from the walkway they had been standing on, and using her hands, turned the crank from a distance using telekinesis.

Varo breathed a sigh of relief as the huge doors slowly began to slide open. Seawater poured into the cavern until the level of the water in the cavern matched that of the sea outside. As sunlight flooded into the cavern, the ship rocked uneasily in the foaming torrent of seawater pouring in from outside. The ship was quickly picking up speed. They had done it. They had escaped.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang which came from the doorway leading into the cavern. Galmina had magically sealed the lock – the soldiers were trying to break the door down. Varo blanched as he realised that it meant Sten, Arcturius and Hrundus were dead.

Then, with a much louder bang, the door came free from one of the three hinges holding it in place.

"Jurard! Hurry up!" Varo yelled, spinning the ballista to aim it at the door.

Jurard raced down a narrow galleyway into the ship's boiler room. The enormous roaring furnace took up one entire wall of the small boiler room, seemingly burning without fuel. On the left-hand wall were three cranks, underneath which were written words in Dwemer and Daedric. Jurard ran to the first crank and translated the Daedric runes underneath it.

_Ballista steam flow_

Gripping the crank with both hands, Jurard turned it as fast as he could until it would turn no more, hearing steam rushing through a pipe the other side of the wall.

"Varo!" Jurard shouted at the top of his voice. "It's on!"

"_It's on!"_

Varo heard Jurard's voice just as the door finally gave way and three soldiers filed through it. Varo pulled the trigger lever on the ballista, causing a huge bolt to shoot out of the weapon. The bolt completed its journey in an instant, piercing through all three soldiers and sending them flying back into the passageway, dead before they knew what had happened. The ship was gathering momentum quickly as two more soldiers ran through the door, drawing bows. At this moment, Varo noticed that there were no other bolts for the ballista – he had no way of attacking them.

"Sea Monster! Get down!" Varo shouted. Sea Monster leapt around the other side of the small metal box that the ship's wheel was set into, just as an arrow zinged across the cavern, missing him by inches. Seeing what was happening, Galmina and Jurard retreated below deck. The ship was now moving through the enormous opening out of the cavern and into the sea, but the two soldiers were racing alongside the ship, along the walkway that ran the length of the cavern. Varo realised that the walkway widened slightly near the cavern door, enough for someone to be able to leap from the walkway onto the deck. The soldiers were going to board him.

Varo looked around desperately. He was the only combatant on the ship skilled enough to be able to take on fully-armoured soldiers, and he had to protect Sea Monster, who was now back behind the ship's wheel, skilfully navigating the ship into deep water.

The two soldiers dropped their bows as they reached the end of the walkway, then leapt from it onto the deck of the ship. Varo drew his sword and raised his shield as they began charging towards him…

Suddenly, one of the Dunmer soldiers fell forward as blood burst from his mouth and nose, a crossbow bolt jutting from the back of his head. As the other turned to look at his fallen comrade, a figure dropped down from above the cavern entrance and slit the soldier's throat with their sword. It was Arcturus. Sten and Hrundus dropped down to the deck shortly afterwards.

"You didn't think we'd leave you, did you, Commander?" Sten said whilst reloading his crossbow.

"I feared I had left you for dead" Varo replied. "I should have had more faith in you. Sea Monster, make for Ebonheart. Let's hope we get there before our new friends do"

As the Dwemer ship cruised down the Bitter Coast at a great speed, Galmina approached Varo, who was leaning off the port side of the ship, examining the coastline. She had noticed a change in her leader – the old Varo had gone as soon as the Dunmer soldiers had arrived in Aleft. He was no longer the kind-hearted leader and enthusiastic explorer that had first landed in Ebonheart. He was anxious, confused and, for the first time since his arrival in Vvardenfell, fearing for his life. Galmina stood next to Varo and leaned over the deck, watching the desolate Bitter Coast sail by.

"Hla Oad's gone" Varo said calmly. "We should be passing it right now. It was a village made of wooden shacks. It didn't stand a chance"

Varo turned to face Galmina. "But how are you?"

"Worried" Galmina said quietly.

"We all are" Varo replied. "Things are going to get a lot more difficult with the Dunmer soldiers around. I don't know how many were sent, but currently our only advantage is that we hold a fairly good fortification in the form of Ebonheart"

"How did they know we were in Aleft?"

"We haven't been taking care to cover our tracks because we didn't think anyone would be there to happen across them. I imagine they simply followed us"

"That means they could have followed them to Ebonheart, and Pelagiad…"

"Romanus has soldiers with him in Pelagiad. We can hold Ebonheart with the soldiers we have there. And besides, we have the advantage of an armoured Dwemer ship…"

"You say you always know what you're doing" Galmina said, smiling. "The fact that we have this ship suggests that you are right"

Varo put an arm around Galmina and held her close to his body. "Just as long as you stay with me, everything will be fine"


	7. The Heart

Chapter 7 – The Heart

**Chapter 7 – The Heart**

…_It was then when we made an incredible discovery. Our hastily-built catapult was loaded with a large ingot of ebony that we had found on the surface of the lava flow. The catapult was aimed north-north-east, towards Red Mountain, and fired. Rather than travelling in an arc, the ebony reached the zenith of its flight but rather than falling to the ground it continued flying northward in a much shallower arc, seemingly flying towards Red Mountain itself. This was found to happen with rock from the lava flow, ebony and some of the glass we found in the East Empire Company warehouses but nothing else._

_Please, if anybody finds this, find out why it is happening. Why is the mountain seemingly trying to pull back what it has created?_

Romanus dropped the quill to the ground and rolled up the scroll, placing it on a small shelf out of reach of the waterline. Himself and a few others had managed to escape the Dunmer soldiers and retreat into the strange underground ruin found in Pelagiad. His soldiers – Alanar, Mistarie and Erdora – were with him. The rest, he did not know. Maybe they made it back to Ebonheart. All Romanus knew was that he didn't have much time before the soldiers found his hiding place. Help had to arrive, and quickly.

"I'm gonna go on sentry duty" Mistarie said, breaking the silence. "It might at least give you a chance of survival"

"You don't have to put yourself at risk, Mistarie" Romanus replied.

"Yes I do. What if they use a life-detection spell? They'll all be forced through that little opening, gives me chance to pick them off one by one" Mistarie said, tapping her bow.

"Life detection…" Erdora said, casting a spell on himself. "By the Gods, they're right above us!" he exclaimed. Romanus gulped a potion from his belt and gazed above him. Erdora was right – purple patches of light representing movement above him appeared in his vision.

"Form up!" Romanus whispered loudly. "Alanar, Erdora, you're up front. Mistarie, stay back here and try and pick them off from a distance"

A few seconds later, bootfalls could be heard further up the tunnel as the Dunmer soldiers dropped down from the opening. As they ran, their footfalls were in perfect synchronisation – it was definitely a trained military unit, not tribesmen, or more survivors.

Torchlight began to glow at the top of the stairs leading down into the chamber where the four were hiding. As Alanar and Erdora brandished their axes, Mistarie nocked an arrow in her bow and took aim. As the first row of three soldiers appeared, Mistarie fired. The steel arrow shot through the air, piercing straight through one of the soldiers' bonemold chest-plate, causing the soldier to keel over, clutching their chest. Mistarie quickly reloaded and fired again, hitting another soldier in the thigh. They ran a few more paces then fell to the ground, doubled up in pain.

"Three rows of four" Erdora said to Alanar. "There's plenty for both of us"

"Let's see what you're made of then, Altmer" Alanar replied as he began to charge forward towards the soldiers, now thrown into slight disarray by two of their front-row soldiers being injured. As Alanar and Erdora charged forwards, another arrow flew between them, hitting one of the injured soldiers in the forehead and killing them.

"Damnit, I'm out of arrows!" Mistarie shouted, casting her bow to the ground and drawing a sword.

Erdora swung his axe down two-handed as he neared a Dunmer soldier, the sheer power of the attack cleaving the Dunmer's shield clean in two. Erdora then held his axe up to block a swordstroke from the Dunmer, then swung it horizontally, hewing the soldier's head clean from his body. Next to him, he saw Alanar slamming his axe into a soldier's chest, killing them, then Mistarie vaulting over the Bosmer and thrusting her sword into another soldier, throwing it back up just in time to block a swordstroke, the recoil knocking her backwards and causing her to trip over a fallen soldier and fall on her back. As the soldier raised his sword up to plunge it into Mistarie's chest, Erdora swung his axe horizontally, severing both the soldier's arms. The soldier fell to the ground, crying in pain, as blood poured from the two grizzly stumps that had been left.

As this was happening, two soldiers had advanced towards Alanar. He had managed to engage one of them, but the other got past and began racing towards Romanus.

Romanus saw the hulking Dunmer soldier approaching him, kitted out in bonemold armour covering their entire body apart from their face, which was covered by a cloth mask. Desperately, Romanus searched for a weapon – he had put his shortsword down to help lift some cargo crates to the lava flow and had left it behind when the soldiers attacked – but found nothing but the piece of raw glass Jurard had given him in Ebonheart. Romanus examined the shard of glass – it was shaped like an arrowhead, with one sharp edge, tapering to a point. Without thinking, Romanus gripped the wide end of the shard and slammed it into the Dunmer soldier's face. Romanus winced as blood burst through the soldier's mask as the soldier froze, the sound of cracking bone echoing through the chamber.

--

The Dwemer steamship thundered northward towards Ebonheart. Two wooden ships were moored at the old port – small, fast clippers which belonged neither to Varo's group or the Sun and Moon Cult. The soldiers were here.

"We might still have time!" Galmina called, leaning over the edge of the deck. "The soldiers haven't reached the bridge yet!"

Varo ran over to where Galmina was standing. The part of Ebonheart that was once the town and East Empire Company warehouses was littered with fallen soldiers, both Dunmer and his own men. Beyond where the battle had been fought, ranks of Dunmer soldiers were filing towards the bridge to the castle.

"We weren't quick enough" Varo said quietly. "May the Gods forgive us…"

"Varo, the bridge! They're going to get to the castle!" Galmina cried.

"The bridge…" Varo said, snapping back into reality, holding his finger in the air to test the direction of the wind. "Sea Monster, full steam ahead! Head for the bridge and sail into it! Destroy it! Galmina, come with me!"

Varo leapt up and bolted for the trapdoor that led below decks, Galmina following close behind him. The pair sprinted down the stairwell, eventually emerging in the furnace room.

"The Dwemer always kept rare minerals in their ruins" Varo said. "Don't ask me why. I imagine their ships are the same. Find fire salts. Lots of them! When you find them, throw them in the furnace! I'm going to find ammunition for the ballista!"

Varo turned and began to run back towards the stairs, but then stopped and turned to face Galmina. He removed an amulet from around his neck and gave it to her.

"Take this" he said. "You'll need it. It always brings me good luck"

Galmina put the amulet around her neck then raced over to a small barrel that was lying down on the ground. Using the edge of her dagger, she prised the lid off the barrel, then cried in elation as fire salts poured out of the barrel. The entire barrel was full of them! With all her might, Galmina lifted the barrel and ran for the furnace.

--

Varo burst out onto the deck, clutching two ballista bolts he had found in a small storeroom below decks.

"Sten, naphtha!" Varo shouted, racing towards the ballista and loading one of the bolts in it. "Now!"

Sten ran towards Varo and produced a small bottle of naphtha he always carried with him to ignite arrows with. Second-guessing Varo, he poured the contents of the bottle onto the bolt.

Varo looked to the sky. Steam was still belching from the ship's enormous chimney, but it had a strong red tint to it, and the strong northern wind was blowing the steam over Ebonheart. At that moment, everything happened at once.

Just as the first soldiers set foot on the wooden bridge that led from Ebonheart to the castle, the Dwemer ship ploughed through it, snapping it like a twig. At the same time, using the limits of his magical abilities, Varo ignited the naphtha coating the bolt then fired the ballista. The flaming bolt shot towards Ebonheart, igniting the fire salts in the cloud of steam, causing a spectacular explosion which ripped through the sky, turning Ebonheart into a blazing inferno. Burning fire salts rained to the ground, engulfing the Dunmer soldiers in flames, as Sten used his crossbow to take down the soldiers who had fallen into the sea.

Varo breathed a sigh of relief as silence fell over Ebonheart, the only sound being the crackle of embers. After a few seconds, the Dwemer ship had sailed clear of Ebonheart, still travelling at around fifty knots, as Sea Monster killed all power to the huge wheel that drove the ship, causing it to slowly glide to a halt.

"We're safe" Varo said. "For now. We'd better check on everyone else"

"Varo" Galmina said. "The first barrel I opened was full of fire salts…"

"I told you that amulet brings me good luck" Varo replied, taking the amulet back from Galmina.

_North of Molag Mar, earlier that day_

Father Velas, Father Indarys, Amani and Selvio all stood in a circle, their hands above their heads. Janas Ormaren lay dead on the ground in front of them, shot with a crossbow when he refused to surrender his weapon. All around them, Dunmer soldiers stood in a wide circle, their bows drawn and aimed at the four, as one soldier removed his helmet and approached them.

"Father Velas, I presume" the soldier said, approaching the elderly priest. "I am Commander Drothan Indoril of the Allegiance of the Four Houses of Morrowind"

"Whatever you want I am sure it is not friendship, so get on with it" Father Velas replied coldly.

"You're right" Drothan said. "The Sun and Moon Cult does not need a glass mine. The Great Council of Morrowind does"

"I might have known that this was about control of resources"

"Surrender the glass deposits or we will kill you and all your people"

Father Velas sighed. "I would not put such an act past you. Fine. You can have the mine"

Drothan gazed over Father Velas' shoulder, where the mighty tower of Molag Mar loomed in the distance, about a mile away. "It would make a good coastal fortification"

"A fortification?" Father Indarys said bitterly. "Against what?"

"Against those who object to our presence on this island – The Empire. I'm sure given time they could muster enough decent Nord sailors in Solstheim to launch a full-on naval assault"

"We will not give you Molag Mar" Father Velas said. "It is our home. We got there first and we have a right to live there. It had no previous House ownership. It was owned by the Tribunal Temple, who are no more. It is common ground"

"It is not a question of ownership, Father" Drothan said coldly. "I will spare your lives if you have left Molag Mar by dawn. If not, my men will not hesitate in killing you all. Now go"

"The wrath of Azura will rain down upon you" Father Velas said. "Pity you when it does. Go on, go and claim your damn mine"

Most of the soldiers began to move towards the great rift in the mountain which contained the glass deposits, but Drothan and a few others watched the four meekly walk back towards Molag Mar.

"Where are we going to go, Father?" Amani asked Father Velas nervously.

"Don't worry, my dear girl" Father Velas replied, keeping his eyes fixed on Molag Mar. "I will take us to someone I know can look after us – Azura"

"You want to find the shrine, Father?" Father Indarys asked him.

"I know where the shrine is, my friend" Father Velas replied. "I simply need someone to get us there safely. I need Varo Sinclair"

--

Varo and his friends finally reached Ebonheart castle, having reconstructed the wooden bridge and mooring the huge Dwemer steamship at the anchorage. The first person who approached them was Levisson.

"Commander! We had given up hope!" Levisson said, elated. "Then we saw that strange ship and we knew it was you…"

"Well done for holding them off, my friend" Varo replied. "We should rightfully be celebrating but we have work to do. How many soldiers did we lose?"

"Most of Romanus' mercenaries who stayed back were killed" Levisson said. "_We _only lost three men… one of them was Marinus"

Varo's heart skipped a beat, and he felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. Levisson put a hand on his shoulder.

"He led us well, organised a good defence in very little time. He went down fighting many soldiers"

"His death will not be in vain" Varo said. "We are going to clear the island of these bastards. Get some men together, we need to go to Pelagiad and check on Romanus. Where is Commander Hermidius?"

"_Are my ears burning?" _a voice called from across the room as a tall, handsome Imperial strode towards Varo - Commander Ralix Hermidius. Since Varo had been in such a hurry to leave to find the Dwemer ship, he hadn't actually seen his friend yet.

"A pleasure as always, Ralix" Varo said warmly, shaking Hermidius' hand.

"You have a good team here, Varo" Hermidius replied. "My men had only just left the ship when the Dunmer turned up, and your men had a counter-attack set up instantly"

"Come with me, Hermidius" Varo said. "We need to talk. Galmina, come on"

--

"What are we going to do, Varo?" Hermidius asked as the three stood on the rope bridge, gazing out to sea.

"I am going to make sure all my people are safe" Varo replied. "Then I will worry about defending what little we have. I don't think we can defeat the Grand Council in battle – we simply don't have the man-power. We are going to have to learn to co-exist with them, and accept that they are now the dominant force on this island"

"Do they want to co-exist with us, though? I mean, how many of our people have they killed?"

"Shock and awe, Hermidius. They want us to know that they are not to be messed with. And they are Dunmer, so their way of doing that is killing people"

"Have you checked out much of the island? Is there anywhere else we can move to and establish?"

"I want to establish south-western Vvardenfell as ours. Here, the Ascadian Isles and maybe across to the southern reaches of the Bitter Coast. I saw an old Dunmer stronghold there in good condition that would make an ideal fortress. I have written off Vivec. It is on the verge of collapse – it is too dangerous to venture into. As I said though, the first thing I am going to do is check Romanus is safe. Hermidius, the defences of Ebonheart are in your hands while I am gone"

--

"It's clear" Erdora said, peering out of the trapdoor. Cautiously, he climbed the ladder out of the underground ruin into the large clearing and drew his axe. Alanar and Mistarie followed him, with Romanus leaving last of all.

"Oh my…" Romanus said, looking around. A pile of corpses lay at the edge of the clearing, the corpses of people wearing common clothing or basic leather armour. They were builders, miners and surveyors – Romanus' team. By the looks of it, they had been within moments of reaching safety when the soldiers had caught up with them.

"_Romanus? Romanus, is that you?"_ a voice called out of the woods.

"How many?" Romanus whispered as Mistarie drew her bow. Erdora glanced in the direction of the voice.

"Three" Erdora replied. "We can take them if they're hostile"

"Yes!" Romanus called. "Over here, in the clearing!"

Shortly, three men crept out of the forest, two labourers, Keem-La and Stirjorn, and a mercenary, Burdush gra-Barat.

"I think we're all that's left" Burdush said. "Us three managed to get away from most of the soldiers. Two followed us, but I dealt with them. We've been lying low ever since"

"Well, we're not out of this yet" Romanus said. "We have to get back to Ebonheart. I am sure Varo will have defended it well and it will still be standing. Mistarie, what's the best route from here?"

"About a mile to Seyda Neen then we can follow the coast"

"Shut up, everyone!" Erdora whispered loudly, still scanning around with his life detection spell. "There's people to the south!"

"They might be more survivors" Alanar said. "Don't be so uptight, Altmer"

"Yes, but they might be more soldiers, Bosmer"

"We should scout it out" Burdush said. "I'll lead the way"

Burdush gra-Barat was a fine soldier who, in a slightly poor decision by Romanus, had been placed in the distinctly non-glamorous position of ensuring that the labourers and surveyors didn't get themselves into trouble. Unlike most Orcs he was a light warrior, relying on remaining undetected, moving quickly and trueness of aim with his bow as opposed to heavy armour and brute force.

"Alanar, Erdora, Mistarie, go with him" Romanus said. "Come back when it's safe"

Erdora tapped Burdush on the shoulder, signalling him to halt.

"There's more than I thought" Erdora whispered. "It looks like two groups. They're moving in formation"

"Soldiers, then" Burdush replied. "It looks like it's time for us to earn our pay. Hold your ground but don't let them get to the clearing"

Burdush drew his bow as Erdora pointed out into the forest – between the trees, he could just about see four Dunmer soldiers moving towards them, unaware of their presence. Burdush knelt down, carefully aimed and fired. The arrow shot through the gaps between the trees and slammed into the soldier's temple, killing him before he knew what had happened. As another soldier ran to his fallen comrade, Burdush swiftly reloaded and fired again, killing the second soldier. The two remaining soldiers ducked behind trees for cover. They were safe – for now.

"The other group have spotted us!" Erdora cried, pointing to the left. Through the trees, about fifty metres away, ten more soldiers were advancing towards them.

"I've got these two" Burdush said calmly, loading another arrow into his bow. Erdora drew his axe and began moving towards the bigger group, using the trees as cover from an archer who was firing at them. Alanar and Mistarie followed him, ducking behind two trees as arrows thudded into them in an explosion of splinters. Mistarie drew her own bow and returned fire, hitting one of the archers as they leapt out of cover to fire, striking them in the chest.

"Advance!" Erdora shouted as he and Alanar leapt from cover, brandishing their axes, using Mistarie's fire as the distraction they needed. Another arrow shot by from behind them, taking down another soldier.

"That's it, I'm dry!" Mistarie called, casting her bow to the ground and drawing her sword. "I'm going for that dead archer, cover me!"

Erdora pointed out the fallen archer to Alanar as the pair began to move towards the corpse, engaging two Dunmer soldiers both armed with Claymores which glowed a pale blue with magical enchantments. Alanar swung his axe horizontally as one of the soldiers prepared to attack, knocking the soldier's weapon from their hands, then using the momentum from the attack he spun 360 degrees, building up staggering momentum and hewing the soldier clean in half.

Erdora parried with the other soldier, using his axe to block blows from the soldier's Claymore, feeling a constant tingle as small amounts of electricity from the soldier's magical weapon conducted through his steel axe. Suddenly, both their weapons clashed as they both tried to attack at once, sending Erdora quivering with recoil. The soldier quickly withdrew his sword then plunged it straight into Erdora's shoulder, punching straight through the Altmer's chainmail armour. Erdora fell to the ground, roaring in pain, as Alanar slammed his axe down into the soldier's back, killing him instantly.

"Erdora's hurt!" Alanar shouted. "Burdush, we need you here!"

"_I'm on it!"_

Burdush released the drawstring on his bow, dropping it as soon as the arrow had left it. The arrow struck the soldier in the navel, the soldier dropping to the ground clutching his stomach. Burdush drew his shortsword and sank it into the second soldier's chest before they had chance to react. Spinning round, Burdush saw Alanar standing over Erdora, brandishing his axe, whilst Mistarie hurriedly recovered arrows from the fallen archer.

"We're outnumbered!" Alanar shouted as Burdush reached him. He fell to the floor and examined Erdora.

"Altmer are vulnerable to the elements" Burdush said. "I fear the worst"

Erdora was unconscious but still breathing, blood seeping from the wound on his shoulder and dripping through his armour.

"Guys! I could use a hand here!" Mistarie shouted, backpedalling whilst firing her bow into a soldier, hitting them in their left arm. The soldier dropped his shield but, with a new sense of aggression spurred on by adrenaline, charged at Mistarie brandishing a mace.

Suddenly, the soldier's head burst like a watermelon as he was thrown forwards, hit by a tremendous force from behind. Another soldier turned to look at the commotion when he too was hit by a powerful projectile, gruesomely cracking his head in half. Hidden in the undergrowth, Mistarie spotted Sten Hawk-Eye, Varo's marksman, with his Dwemer crossbow. As a soldier tried to attack Sten from behind, Varo himself leapt from behind a tree and thrust his sword into the soldier's abdomen. In the undergrowth, surrounding the Dunmer, Mistarie saw more of Varo's soldiers, the men she knew as Levisson, Arcturus and Hrundus, along with Galmina pointing out targets with a life-detection spell.

Thrown into disarray, the Dunmer soldiers were soon killed by Varo's men. Immediately, Mistarie ran to check on Erdora.

"Galmina, get over here!" she shouted. Galmina rushed to Mistarie's side.

"Erdora!" Galmina cried as Erdora gradually began to regain consciousness. He looked up at Galmina and smiled weakly through his thick grey beard.

"Hello, my girl" Erdora said feebly as Galmina put her hands on Erdora's shoulder. Pale blue energy began to surge from her hands into the Altmer as an incredible change happened – the wound healed, the flow of blood was stemmed, and life and energy returned to his face. Galmina smiled sweetly at him.

"There you go" she said. "All better"

Erdora sat up and put an arm around Galmina. "Varo made a good choice bringing you with him, my dear girl"

"Is anyone else hurt?" Varo called, regrouping all his soldiers.

"We're all OK" Mistarie said. "You got here just in time, Commander. You saved our hides again!"

"Well, that's what I'm here for" Varo replied, smiling. "Where's Romanus?"

"Right here, Commander" Romanus said from behind Mistarie, having entered the forest after hearing Varo's voice.

"Romanus? You look terrible" Varo said. "What happened?"

"They came out of nowhere" Romanus said shakily, only just beginning to reflect on what had happened. "We were up on the lava flow when they attacked. Most of us managed to make it to the forest but they hunted us down. This is all that's left"

"I have something that will improve the situation" Varo said, reaching into a small sack that Galmina had been carrying with her. From the sack, he produced several bottles of Cyrodiilic ale.

Romanus laughed. "You understand me more than I thought, Commander! Where did you get these from?"

"There's crates of them back at the castle" Varo replied. "They were unloading them when I left. I thought as a fellow Imperial you'd enjoy a taste of home"

"What's the story at Ebonheart?" Romanus asked, taking one of the bottles.

"My men and Hermidius held it well" Varo replied. "We lost a few men but the castle still stands, and we recovered the Dwemer ship. Everyone is accounted for now, but I don't think we can stay in Ebonheart. It doesn't matter for now though, you all need a rest"


	8. Exodus

Chapter 8 – Exodus

**Chapter 8 – Exodus**

_Ebonheart castle, later that day_

Father Velas had spotted Varo and his people as soon as they had emerged from the forest that began a few miles north of Ebonheart, quickly leaving the castle by the northern rope bridge to go and meet him.

"Hello, Father" Varo said with a hint of surprise when he caught up with Father Velas. "What brings you here?"

"The Grand Council of Morrowind bring me here" Father Velas replied. "Commander Hermidius told me that they attacked you too"

"They did, but we held them off. How did you fare against them?"

Father Velas sighed. "First they wanted the mine. I gave it to them. I didn't want trouble. Now they have evicted us from Molag Mar, saying that they would have killed us all had we not left"

"Wait, mine? What mine?"

"Did you not receive my message from Matari?"

Varo looked blankly at the elderly Dunmer.

"Strange" Father Velas said. "Matari assured me it had been delivered. We found an enormous deposit of pure glass just north of Molag Mar. The soldiers somehow found out about it and demanded that we handed it over. Valuing my life more than glass, I relented"

"Are the rest of your people with you?"

"They are, yes"

"I'm afraid we are planning to leave Ebonheart for somewhere safer"

"That is in fact the reason I have come to you, Commander. I would like to go to the shrine of Azura, in the wilderness on the east coast. There, we will be safe and under the protection of Azura herself"

Varo smiled and turned to Galmina. "I hope you still have your sense of adventure!"

"Of course I do!" Galmina replied excitedly. "I have wanted to see Azura's Coast ever since we came here!"

"I have two ships and the crew to staff them. Is your ship here?" Varo said to Father Velas.

"The _Twin Moons _is moored in Ebonheart" Father Velas replied. "We're good to go when you are"

"Commander" Romanus called from behind them. Varo turned to face him.

"Have you lost your mind?" Romanus said under his breath. "You told me that you'd found an intact Dunmer stronghold, yet you want to go to a shrine? A shrine?"

"Romanus" Varo sighed. "You know that our priorities differ. I want to see the island. You want to build. I'll mark the stronghold on your map if you want to take your people there. Go back to Ebonheart, tell Commander Hermidius to go with you and that any soldiers who don't come with me are under his command"

As Romanus began to walk off to the south, back to Ebonheart, he turned back to Varo and handed him a scroll.

"I wrote it because I didn't think I'd survive the attack" Romanus said. "A bit of bedtime reading for you"

--

Varo unrolled a large map of Vvardenfell and placed it on the floor, using a quill to mark three crosses on it.

"We're here" Varo explained to the group around him, pointing at the cross he had placed at the location of Ebonheart. Sitting with him were Father Velas, Father Indarys, Amani Sarano, Levisson and Galmina. "The Azura shrine is here. Unfortunately, Molag Mar is here, right between the two, and by the sounds of it it's now a Grand Council stronghold"

Varo turned to look at Galmina and Levisson. "I presume you both read the preliminary survey of Vvardenfell that I gave you?"

The pair nodded. Varo continued. "Then you will know that this vast rocky wilderness here, Molag Amur, is still a vast wilderness but probably a lot less barren than it used to be. With ash storms and the Blight in the past, nature has finally claimed Molag Amur. I'm expecting a forest there, grassland at least. This is the way we shall go to the Azura shrine. It will be a tough journey, but it's either that or we take our chances with the Dunmer soldiers"

"The former sounds like a more desirable solution" Father Indarys said.

"Could Sea Monster not sail us there?" Levisson suggested.

"I'm afraid we saw the beginnings of a naval blockade when we left Molag Mar" Father Velas said. "The Grand Council had a lot of ships in the sea to the south"

"Then it's settled. Molag Amur it is. I'll work out a route"

As Father Velas, Father Indarys and Amani left Varo examining the map, Galmina knelt down next to him.

"I need to talk to you" Galmina said quietly. Varo turned away from the map to face Galmina.

"What's on your mind?"

"Do you remember that dream I told you about? The one where us two were in Vivec? It's been recurring, and getting more detailed. I see us going into Vivec, into the palace, then finding some sort of gauntlet buried with Vivec himself"

"You think the dream is true?"

Galmina nodded meekly, as though she thought Varo didn't believe her.

"Remember, I keep having a dream where that same four-line verse that's emblazoned all over Molag Mar keeps coming up. Any dreams people have here have to be taken seriously"

"Do you think we should go to Vivec, then?"

"Before we leave, yes. It will mean going now. I'll get Rigs-Sails to take us both in the dinghy, we can get a good look at the city while we're there"

"Take us both? You don't want to bring any soldiers?"

"It was just us two in your dream, wasn't it?"

Galmina nodded.

"Then that is how it must be"

--

Varo approached the Orc smith, Baldur gro-Orash, who was rummaging around in several cargo crates.

"Ah, Commander" Baldur said, noticing Varo. "I have something for you"

From behind one of the crates, Baldur produced a glass longsword and handed it to Varo, who examined it. It was an amazing piece of craftsmanship, resembling the ancient glass weapons found in ruins across Tamriel but brand new, forged from the glass found in the East Empire Company buildings.

"Thank you very much, Baldur" Varo said, genuinely amazed by the weapon that the Orc had made. "I need a bow, what have you got?"

Baldur reached into one of the crates and tossed a bow made from a strange, lumpy pale-brown material to Varo.

"Bonemold" Baldur said, sensing Varo's confusion. "We salvaged it from a dead Dunmer soldier. The Dunmer archers all swear by them. Planning a trip, are we?"

"Yes, and I might be gone for some time. Romanus and Commander Hermidius are in charge for the time being. Don't worry, everything's going to be fine"

"As long as I've got this glass to work with I'm happy" Baldur said, lifting up another weapon. It was another weapon made from the East Empire Company glass, this time a spear.

"Baldur, do you mind if I have that spear?"

--

_Vivec Palace, an hour later_

Rigs-Sails hooked his barge pole onto the rough rock of the Palace and drew the dinghy in. Thanks to the raised water level, Varo easily climbed up onto the structure then helped Galmina up.

"Do you want me to wait for you, Commander?" Rigs-Sails asked.

"Yes, unless you see something dangerous" Varo replied. "If you do, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come and find me"

Rigs-Sails tapped the glass spear Varo had just given him. "That won't be a problem, Commander. Talos guide you"

Varo looked at the Argonian sailor. "Rigs-Sails, are you happy going to Hlormaren with everyone else or are you still up for adventure?"

"Well, I suppose I'd still enjoy exploring with you more… Why do you ask?"

"Ask Sea Monster what I have just asked you. If he also replies with the latter, I want you two and the rest of the crew to sail west out of Ebonheart, then all the way around the island that way until you reach the Azura shrine. You should miss the Dunmer naval blockade. Jurard will give you a map"

It was the first time Varo, or anyone else from his group, had properly seen Vivec. As Rigs-Sails had sailed the dinghy between the once-mighty cantons, it became clear that five hundred years of exposure to the tides had severely weakened them – the walkways surrounding and connecting the cantons had all collapsed, rendering them almost completely inaccessible apart from the underwater entrances to the Underworks. The bases of each canton had also been visibly weakened by tidal movements, making each canton look as if it were on the verge of collapse. The Temple had been the first part of Vivec to go – as soon as Vivec himself had been killed the Ministry of Truth had smashed down into the Temple, completely obliterating it, leaving only the Ministry itself sitting on top of a pile of sunken rubble, its top protruding out amongst the waves. The Palace, once a mighty five-storey ziggurat, had lost some of its impact since the artificial waterfalls that had once cascaded down its steps had long stopped functioning and the roof of the domed structure at the peak of the ziggurat had collapsed.

Varo spoke as the pair began to climb the crumbled staircase towards the dome.

"You know the bit in the inscription that says 'beneath the Seven Cantons'?"

Galmina nodded.

"We knew it referred to Vivec but we always thought that it was referring to something underground. But if you look on an old map which still has Vivec on it, you'll see that the palace is the southernmost point of Vivec. The Seven Cantons are the Foreign Quarter, St. Delyn, St. Olms, Arena and the three Great House towers, so in that sense the palace is not a canton in itself but 'beneath the Seven Cantons'"

"That means our dreams are linked" Galmina said thoughtfully.

"Yes, and that's what fascinates me"

The pair reached the top of the grand staircase and were presented with a wood and iron door. Varo tried it – it was locked. Galmina cast a spell on the door then tried it again. Still nothing.

"It's locked very thoroughly" Galmina said.

"Yes, but it's also at least five hundred years old" Varo replied. Varo then kicked the wood underneath the lock as hard as he could, his foot punching straight through the rotting, worn wood that supported the lock. The door slowly swung open.

Varo crept into the palace, his sword drawn. The domed chamber was empty and dilapidated – fallen masonry from the collapsed section of roof littered the ground, and the walls were crumbling. The first thing Varo noticed was how featureless the room was – considering it was the former home of a divine being, the chamber was completely empty. Maybe everything in the room had been perished by time, or maybe it had been looted by those who stayed on the island longer than anyone else all those years ago.

"Or maybe it was empty in the first place" Varo said to himself as Galmina followed him in. Varo turned to face Galmina.

"Any ideas?"

Galmina glanced around the room, casting an enchantment-detecting spell on herself.

"There!" Galmina exclaimed, running over to a featureless section of floor at the rear of the room. "There's an enchantment on this area of the floor…"

Galmina got down on her hands and knees and began examining the floor, discovering a tiny vertical gap that ran in a square, isolating the square-shaped enchanted section of the floor. "I think this might be a door, which has been magically sealed"

"It's only a door if it can open, and I see no way of doing that" Varo said, looking around before joining Galmina. Varo stamped on the floor with his heavy Imperial steel boots, hearing worn stone crumbling away from the underside of the door. Stamping again, he split a large crack in the door.

"This is no good" Varo said, walking briskly over to the pile of rubble that had fallen from the roof when it had collapsed and picking up a chunk of the pale rock about the size of a human head. He returned to Galmina and held the rock over the cracked door.

"Burden it" Varo ordered. Galmina cast a spell on the rock and it suddenly became many times heavier, so much so that Varo could no longer hold it. The rock plummeted out of Varo's grip and smashed straight through the door, breaking it into several large pieces which fell down into the shaft it was covering.

Varo peered down the shaft – a spiral staircase led downward into unseen, dark depths.

"Alright, I need light" Varo said. "I'll lead the way, but I also need you to tell me if anything's coming"

--

After descending for what felt like days, the pair emerged in a small chamber whose walls, floor and ceiling were coated in a dark golden metal – Dwemer construction. The chamber obviously served some holy purpose but was wholly unremarkable – the small room had an altar in its centre and a door at the opposite end from where Varo and Galmina had emerged from the spiral staircase.

"There, on the altar" Varo said, pointing to a strange object lying on the small altar in the centre of the room. "Stay out the way. It's bound to be trapped"

Varo cautiously approached the object, which on closer inspection was a very worn and battered Daedric gauntlet which glowed dimly with a magical enchantment. Varo picked up the gauntlet then dived to the ground, expecting some form of magical trap to blast a spell at the altar, but nothing happened…

"Varo!" Galmina cried. Varo leapt to his feet and spun round to see a Dremora charging at him brandishing a Dwarven battle axe!

Varo threw up his shield just in time to block a colossal axe-blow from the Dremora, sending him recoiling back into the altar. Regaining his composition, Varo swung his glass sword downwards at the Dremora, the razor-sharp crystalline blade slicing straight through the Dremora's armour and flesh and severing its left arm completely. The Dremora tried to attack Varo again, trying to lift the heavy axe with one hand, but Varo easily dodged the blow and plunged his own sword straight through the Dremora's heart. The Dremora disappeared in a flash of light, banished back to the distant realm it had come from.

"Is this what you saw?" Varo asked Galmina, showing her the strange gauntlet.

"Yes, that's it" Galmina replied. "Don't put it on, thought"

"Why not?"

"Because we don't know what it does, or what it's for"

Varo handed Galmina the gauntlet and walked over to the sturdy metal door at the far end of the room. Unlike everywhere else they had seen in Vvardenfell, the construction in the chamber still stood proud – they were far underground, somewhere nature's destructive force had not yet reached. Varo tried the door, but unsurprisingly it was locked, and there was no way he would be able to break down the solid metal.

Galmina saw what he was doing and cast a spell on the door to try and unlock it, but nothing happened. Clearly, this door needed a key.

"I suppose this is a mystery for another day" Varo remarked. "There must be something important behind it, otherwise it wouldn't be locked so securely. Come on, let's get out of here before the Dunmer soldiers turn up"

--

_Ebonheart castle, an hour later_

By the time Varo, Galmina and Rigs-Sails returned to Ebonheart castle, almost everyone else had left. Commander Hermidius' sailors had commanded the Dunmers' two ships and used them to move everyone west to Hlormaren, the Dunmer stronghold. Sea Monster and the Dwemer ship were still in the town, moored at the docks. The only people who remained were Father Velas and the rest of the Sun and Moon Cult, around thirty people, Jurard, Sten, Levisson and Arcturus.

"Hermidius sends his apologies" Jurard said, greeting the three. "The others decided it would be best to move sooner rather than later"

"And you decided to stay with me?" Varo replied.

"Yes, Commander. I'm like you in the sense that I want to know more about the island"

Varo tossed Jurard the gauntlet he had found beneath Vivec. "See if you can make some sense of this then"

Jurard examined the gauntlet for a few seconds, then almost froze in shock.

"Jurard? Are you alright?" Galmina asked him. "Do you know what it is?"

"Yes, I do know what it is" Jurard replied shakily. "And that's why I'm so worried"

"Explain" Varo said.

"You see the colour of the light it is giving out? Every different type of enchantment, every different spell, gives out a different coloured light. This colour, though, I have never seen before, meaning it's not a common enchantment. In fact, I believe that before you two only three people had seen this colour of light – Vivec, Nerevarine and Dagoth Ur"

"What do you mean?" Varo asked, confused. "That would imply that it is one of Kagrenac's Tools…"

"Wraithguard, to be exact. It has a unique enchantment which protects against the dangerous magical powers of Keening and Sunder"

"I thought Wraithguard was destroyed when Red Mountain erupted?" Galmina asked.

"Wraithguard was a gauntlet" Varo said as Jurard nodded at him. "Gauntlets always come in pairs. This is the _other _Wraithguard"

"Wraithguard is very dangerous" Jurard said. "According to the few texts on it, wielding its immense magical powers can cause averse effects"

"Averse effects? Like what?"

"Death" Jurard said ominously. "Allegedly, Wraithguard has an enchantment on it that severely weakens the wearer, a side-effect of its magical properties. Only those strong enough to be worthy of Wraithguard can wear it without being killed. Commander, if you leave it with me I will see what I can do to make it safe to wear"

At that moment, one of the Sun and Moon Cult people, who had evidently been listening to the conversation, approached the three.

"Sarelas Abatanammu" the Dunmer said, introducing himself. "Smith and enchanter. Mr Aurmine, if you require any assistance with this task I will gladly assist you"


	9. Collision

Chapter 9 – Collision

**Chapter 9 – Collision**

The next morning, Ebonheart castle emptied completely. The last residents had split into two groups – Sea Monster and his crew, Jurard, the workers, women and children from the Sun and Moon Cult (apart from Amani Sarano, who had clung fast to Father Velas) and Levisson and Arcturus had gone on the Dwemer ship, taking the long route anticlockwise around the island. Varo, Galmina, Sten, Father Velas, Father Indarys, Selvio and Amani had left on foot, heading north towards the Fields of Kummu then onwards to Molag Amur.

As Varo's group left, they saw four figures emerging from the treeline north of Ebonheart. Varo ordered Sten to take aim, until he noticed that they weren't Dunmer soldiers – they weren't even Dunmer. They were all wearing different sorts of armour and weapons – a stocky Bosmer with draggly windswept hair, a proud-looking Redguard woman, an Orc dressed in camouflaged leather armour and a tall, elderly, bearded Altmer. They were the four of Romanus' soldiers that Varo's people had fought alongside in the forest the previous day, Erdora, Alanar, Burdush and Mistarie.

It was Erdora who approached Varo. Galmina smiled sweetly when she saw the kind old Altmer looking at her.

"Good morning, Commander" Erdora said. "I feared we might be too late"

"What are you four doing here?" Varo asked. "Didn't you go with Romanus?"

"No, we decided to go off and do a bit of exploring. When we got back, we saw the ships sailing off into the distance. It just goes to show how Romanus treats expendable employees"

"We are travelling east to the Shrine of Azura" Varo said. "You're welcome to join us, or I can point you in the direction of where Romanus has gone"

"I, for one, would like to come with you" Erdora said. "The only thing keeping me with Romanus was the money, which I have realised is worthless here and will be for some time"

Mistarie stepped forward as Erdora finished speaking. "And us three are with him. Varo, you're in charge of us now"

"Only if you pay us more than Romanus was though" Alanar smirked.

"Shut up, you irritating tree-dweller" Burdush snapped, throwing Alanar a look that could have frozen water.

"Tree-dweller? Coming from an Orc barbarian?" Mistarie laughed. Galmina smiled too – she loved the deep, relaxed drawl of Mistarie's voice.

"I will keep you safe and find you a new home on this island" Varo said loudly, stopping the childish fighting. "Consider that your payment"

Varo continued walking towards the treeline, as Sten raced in front of him to get on point.

"Oh, and one more thing" Varo said, smiling turning to face his four new recruits. "You're all barbarians compared to the Imperials!"

"Oh, that's it, Varo, you're dead!" Mistarie shouted as Erdora burst out laughing. Varo laughed to himself – he felt like he had known the people surrounding him for years.

As the group walked quickly through the dense forests of the Ascadian Isles, the soldiers in the group constantly watched around for threats, forming a circle around the Sun and Moon Cult people and Galmina. These forests were, after all, where almost every conflict that Varo's people had encountered had been fought. The journey was eventless, one they had done many times, until they reached the Fields of Kummu and the border onto Molag Amur.

Sten reached the top of the mountainous barrier that ran along the southern edge of Molag Amur first, followed shortly by Varo and Erdora.

"Well, would you look at that…" Sten said in amazement, gazing reverently across Molag Amur which stretched out beyond him. He was expecting to set eyes on a vast, rocky wilderness, but his expectations couldn't have been further from the truth.

What he saw was a forest. No, a garden. As far as the eye could see, tall, verdant grass covered the ground, interspersed only with rumbling pools of lava, around which nothing could grow due to the heat. Trees of all kinds sprouted up out of the ground, and brilliant patches of all the colours of the rainbow showed where flowers grew.

"How…" Sten began, still speechless.

"The Blight is gone" Erdora explained. "Molag Amur is capable of supporting life again, and that is exactly what it is doing"

Varo turned around and took Galmina by the hand, helping her up the hill. "Just wait until you see this"

Galmina gasped in shock and amazement as she saw the vast, verdant expanse stretching out beyond her. "This is why I came here with you, Varo"

--

_Dwemer steamship, off the Bitter Coast_

'_The Real Nerevarine', Father Farus Maradinan of the Imperial Temple (excerpt)_

_The true 'hero' status that Nerevarine would have had placed upon him had he succeeded in his task is often seen as a grey area. His defeat of Dagoth Ur would have doubtlessly been a gateway to fulfilling Nerevarine's true prophecy – driving the so-called 'outlanders' from Morrowind and uniting the Dunmer people._

_The term 'outlander' is highly frowned-upon in everywhere apart from Morrowind, referring simply to someone who does not come from the home province of the speaker, assuming the speaker is not an outlander themselves. During the time of Nerevar's reincarnation, a census showed around half of Vvardenfell's population to be non-Dunmer, being mostly Imperial guards and cult priests, Orc worshippers of Malacath and Argonian and Khajiit slaves. It was prophecised that Nerevarine would drive them all from Morrowind, although whether this would include the slaves retained by the Great Houses to perform menial tasks remains unknown. It should also be noted that House Telvanni and the Cammona Tong, whilst not overly allied to the Tribunal Temple and Saint Nerevar, were vehemently opposed to the presence of 'outlanders' in Vvardenfell…_

…_The Daedric Princess Azura is known to have aided Nerevarine on his ill-fated quest to defeat Dagoth Ur, but this does not mean she would have assisted him in his true calling – according to a priest of Azura, the Lady herself called the driving of outlanders from Vvardenfell 'an inexcusable act of evil' and would exact her vengeance upon anyone who tried to commit such an act…_

"Interesting" Levisson said, handing the thick tome back to Jurard. "I'd say we've allied with the right people, if we've got Azura on our side"

"That's what I thought" Jurard replied. "If the Dunmer soldiers carry on fighting us, they will find that they have Azura to answer to"

"You believe in the true power of the Daedra?"

"I do, yes. I think the chaos Mehrunes Dagon caused in the Imperial City all those years ago is a testament to that, although Azura isn't as blindly destructive as Dagon. Allegedly, she is very compassionate"

"How's work on Wraithguard coming along?"

"It is a fascinating device" Jurard explained. "The enchantment that mortally wounds any unworthy wearer is truly ingenious – rather than causing a magical effect in itself, it _places_ an enchantment upon the wearer, weakening them…"

"Jurard, I know absolutely nothing about magic"

"Oh, well. In any case, we are trying to remove that particular enchantment, or come up with some form of resistance to it that can be effected on the wearer before they put the gauntlet on…"

"Jurard, you're doing it again. Can it be worn yet or not?"

"No. Why are you suddenly so interested?"

"Because I was speaking to Commander Sinclair about it before we left. They found it in Vivec, beneath the Palace – beneath the seven cantons, something which appeared in Varo's dreams. The gauntlet itself, though, appeared in Galmina's"

"Yes, it's interesting. Maybe the two of them are part of some higher purpose, destiny if you will. But everyone knows that only Nerevarine could wear Wraithguard"

"Varo's not the Nerevarine!" Levisson laughed. "He despises the Almsivi Temple as much as the next man! And the Dunmer, for that matter"

--

_The Shrine to Azura, Azura's Coast, that night_

After a lenghtly and uneventful journey through Molag Amur, Varo and his people finally reached Azura's Coast. By the moonlight, the outline of a huge statue of Azura could be seen in the distance.

"There it is" Father Velas said. "Azura bless you, Commander"

"We're not there yet" Varo replied. "Daedric shrines and trouble normally go hand-in-hand. Galmina, can you see anything?"

Using night-eye and life detection, Galmina gazed across the undulating hills of Azura's Coast. Mushroom trees and other strange plants sprouted out of the tall grass, while the rocks making up the cliffs and outcrops of the region had a slight purple hue to them.

"It looks clear" Galmina said. "At least, it does outside. I can't see what lies inside"

Varo turned to the group of people assembled around him.

"Father Velas, Galmina, I would like you two to stay with me for a moment. The rest of you, go to the shrine. Let the soldiers go in first – Father Indarys, you can lead them. We do not know what lies within the shrine. Don't worry, we will be there soon"

As the others filed off, Father Velas turned to Varo.

"What is it, Commander?"

"I figured this would be a good time to speak to you. We are alone, and I have never trusted Dardric shrines as far as safety is concerned. I would lead the people into it myself, but this is the last chance I might have to speak to you"

"I'm listening, my son"

"The inscription that you found in Molag Mar. It means something, and it means something very important. Myself and Galmina followed the inscription beneath the Seven Cantons, deep beneath Vivec, and found something there"

"What was it?"

"Wraithguard. Not Nerevarine's one, the left-hand one. The _other _Wraithguard"

"You found it?" Father Velas said in disbelief. "I never even believed it existed… How did you find it?"

"Galmina dreamt it was there. After the inscription started appearing in my dreams, I started taking any dreams people have on this island seriously"

"Interesting" Father Velas said slowly, thinking as he spoke. "And I expect these dreams only occurred when you were in Ebonheart, in the vicinity of the lava flow? Or perhaps on your ship as you left Molag Mar when we first met?"

Varo's heart stopped. "How did you know?"

"Dagoth Ur, my son. He spread his influence and his beliefs through the medium of dreams. When he was destroyed by the eruption of Red Mountain, his essence was trapped in the lava and spread everywhere that the lava flowed. The very rocks of Vvardenfell seem to broadcast prophetic dreams. So, anywhere you have been that was affected by the eruption – the lava flow at Pelagiad or the rift containing the glass deposits by Molag Mar – you would have experienced the dreams"

"What have you dreamt, Father?" Galmina asked suddenly.

"Only of a door. A great metal door, Dwemer by the looks of it"

"It is beneath Vivec!" Galmina exclaimed. "We saw it when we found Wraithguard, but we couldn't open it…"

"_Commander Varo Sinclair, Galmina and Father Velas, lay down your weapons. You are surrounded"_

A gruff Dunmer voice cut through the air. Varo blanched as he looked around, seeing camouflaged Dunmer soldiers emerging from the undergrowth, completely surrounding them and aiming crossbows at their heads.

"Shit" Varo whispered. "Galmina, get out of here. Remember everything that I have said"

With that, in a flash of pale green light, Galmina disappeared from sight. As she did, a Dunmer wearing ceremonial armour approached Varo and Father Velas. Varo knew who it was, and Father Velas had seen him before. It was Commander Drothan Indoril of the Great Council of Morrowind, evidently the man tasked with making sure Vvardenfell became Dunmer territory once more. Varo had met him at numerous councils and gatherings – he was a thoroughly unpleasant man.

"The feeling is mutual" Drothan snarled as he approached Varo, seeing the thoroughly annoyed expression on Varo's face. "Years ago, the Dunmer lost this land. And yet, as soon as we try to reclaim it, some rag-tag bunch of Imperial do-good adventurers and Daedra worshippers get in our way"

"Cut to the chase, Drothan" Varo snapped. "What do you want?"

"You, actually" Drothan said, a false air of friendliness about his voice. "The Teeth that Gnash are found here, a place of which there is not one, but three. Beneath the Seven Cantons, Nerevarine's Prophecy could be fulfilled. How are the dreams, Varo?"

Varo blanched. How did Drothan know that?

"Since you clearly know what I am talking about, you will be able to help us" Drothan continued. "I want this prophecy fulfilled, and you are many steps closer to doing so than I am. You even have Wraithguard"

"And what if I don't help you?"

"Then I will not only kill you but all your friends. I have ordered my soldiers to be lenient from now on – to only kill in retaliation. But one order from me and my men, who infinitely outnumber yours, will attack and kill every last one of your people. We will go to Hlormaren, we will intercept your ship. Oh yes, Varo, I know more about you than you could possibly imagine"

"What do you want us to do?" Varo said meekly, reeling from the impact of Drothan's words.

"It's not all doom and gloom, Commander" Drothan said. "You may find this very interesting. I want you to help us solve the riddle.

"I am sure you are aware of most of the events that occurred during the closing days of Vvardenfell's last era. But there is one detail that many forget, which occurred after the siege on the Four Citadels of the Sixth House. Specifically, after the assault on Endusal"

"Kagrenac's Library" Varo said.

"Correct. Such was the vastness of the repository of knowledge found here that Nerevarine decided to save it, so a group of his worshippers, under armed guard of the Imperial Legion, went to Endusal, collected every book and text they could find and moved them, to the Cavern of the Incarnate"

"That's why you want me, I imagine" Father Velas said bluntly. "Because I know where the Cavern is"

"Correct" Drothan said. "I want you to lead us there, Father"

"And what about me?" Varo asked.

"Oh, Commander" Drothan said menacingly. "You have no idea how important you are going to become to us. And one final thing, where did that Bosmer go?"

"Galmina?" Varo said, smiling. "You will never find her"

--

As the Dunmer soldiers frogmarched Varo and Father Velas away, Galmina stood helplessly on the hillside. The soldiers had clearly been searching for her, but she had eluded them. Not only was she invisible, but she was sending out a constant wave of dispelling magical energy – not strong, only enough to nullify the effects of a life-detection spell.

Galmina sat down in the grass and began to cry. She had heard everything Drothan had said. He wanted to fill Nerevarine's Prophecy and rid Vvardenfell of the 'outlanders', and Galmina had to stop him. On her own. Without Varo.

--

"Father" Varo whispered as the pair were force-marched northwards through Molag Amur. Their destination was the legendary Cavern of the Incarnate, on the northern slopes of Red Mountain.

Father Velas turned to face Varo as he began speaking in a strange language. The Dunmer soldiers all looked at him perplexed, but Father Velas knew the language. It was Daedric.

"Listen to me. We cannot make any attempt at escape, or we will be killed, and we cannot allow the two leaders of our people to suffer that fate. Whatever the Dunmer are going to do to drive us from Vvardenfell can be turned on them"

"That is your plan?" Father Velas replied, also speaking in Daedric.

"Yes, and my plans always work. Just promise that you will stay with me, and I need you to help the Dunmer in their search for knowledge, so I can get that knowledge too"

Father Velas admired Varo hugely. Varo wasn't particularly old, only in his mid-thirties, but such matters were an irrelevance. Here he was, captured by enemy soldiers but already formulating plans to defeat them. He had formed a tight network of people who would go out of their way to watch his back and aid him in any way – Sten, Levisson and the rest of his soldiers would fight for him, Jurard was his repository of knowledge and Sea Monster moved him around, and of course there was Galmina, who never left his side. Until now.

"She'll be alright" Father Velas said.

"I know she will" Varo replied.

--

"_Galmina! Galmina, where are you?"_

Galmina froze. She recognised the voice…

"_Galmina!"_

It belonged to an Altmer…

"Erdora!" Galmina cried. "Is that you?"

From the fog that was settling over Azura's Coast, the tall, bearded Altmer appeared. Galmina ran up to him and threw herself into his arms, crying.

"They've taken Varo! And Father Velas!"

"I know, I saw it" Erdora replied. "I was out hunting for food when I saw all the soldiers. I saw Varo and Father Velas, but not you. That's why I came looking for you"

"I heard Commander Indarys speaking to Varo" Galmina said, a sudden air of urgency to her voice. "Something very bad is going to happen unless we can stop it"


	10. Home Is Where The Heart Is

**Chapter 10 – Home Is Where The Heart Is**

"I can see the statue" Jurard said, lowering his telescope. "About a league away, by my guessing"

Sea Monster nodded. "Good. This ship can't go much further. We badly need some coal"

The journey around Vvardenfell aboard Sea Monster's ship had been a fascinating and eventful one. They had seen the remains of civilisation in the north of the island – parts of Gnisis' grand temple and the spectacular Dwemer and Daedric ruins around Khuul and Ald Velothi, both of which had ceased to exist save a stump of pale rock which was once Ald Velothi's Redoran outpost. The large central island of Sheogorad was similarly covered in ruins, most of which were still standing and, from the outside, perfectly inhabitable. The old sites of Tel Mora and Sadrith Mora were now verdant forests surrounded by huge mushroom trees, whilst scraps of Tel Vos had managed to resist nature and remain standing.

The journey had also been a fun one – since the Dwemer ship required little effort to sail, the ship's crew had been keeping themselves – and the Sun and Moon Cult – entertained.

Sea Monster and his core crew of Rigs-Sails and S'Barama had remain unchanged for many years, since they had met Varo, to be exact. Sea Monster had met the Argonian Rigs-Sails in the Cyrodiil harbour town of Anvil, looking for a new crew to sail cargo to the Summerset Isle. After spending several evenings in the town's taverns, specifically the Fo'c'stle where most of the rowdier sailors seemed to gather, he had spotted the Argonian. Rigs-Sails was a well-spoken but still rowdy Argonian who had almost managed to drink the hulking, barrel-chested Sea Monster under the table. Rigs-Sails apparently did have a real Argonian name but no-one actually seemed to know it. He did fit in with Sea Monster's requirements for a crew member – not only was he an excellent sailor, but he knew how to have fun and also how to defend himself. S'Barama had been found out to sea, clinging to wreckage, the only survivor of a small fishing trawler destroyed in a storm, and helped aboard. He had been sailing with Sea Monster ever since.

Sea Monster also differed from most sailors in that he was not precious about the ship he sailed – as long as it was in one piece, he and his crew could sail it. So, when Commander Varo Sinclair entered the Fo'c'stle one night announcing that he had acquired a ship but needed a crew for it, Sea Monster had volunteered, also introducing his friend Sten Hawk-Eye to the Commander.

"You'd better tell everyone to start gathering their possessions" Sea Monster said to Jurard. "And tell Rigs-Sails to ready the dinghy, if he's sober enough to sail it, that is. I don't think we're going to be able to moor anywhere near land"

An interesting and useful aspect Sea Monster had discovered about the Dwemer ship had proved invaluable on their journey. Once it was up to speed, where it typically cruised at around forty knots, it was unstoppable. Submerged rocky outcrops had wrecked many ships on the coast of Vvardenfell but the solid iron hull of the Dwemer craft simply bulldozed straight through them.

"_Hey, what's that?" _someone called suddenly. It was one of the Sun and Moon Cult people, pointing over the side of the deck. Jurard raced over to see what she was pointing at, and spotted a small dinghy moving quickly to intercept the Dwemer ship, with two leather-clad Dunmer aboard it. Rigs-Sails raced for the ship's ballista, but before he could get there a tremendously bright bolt of magic lanced from the hands of one of the Dunmer and engulfed the ship, freezing it and everyone on it in their tracks. Everyone watched helplessly as one of the Dunmer levitated at tremendous speed onto the ship and approached Jurard. The Dunmer ripped open a pouch on Jurard's belt and removed Wraithguard…

_No… _Jurard thought to himself. There was nothing he could do. The Dunmer leapt overboard, levitating again, and returned to the dinghy, the ship and all its passengers and crew still rooted to the spot.

--

_The Shrine to Azura, Azura's Coast_

Galmina could see Sea Monster's ship approaching from the north as she sat on a rocky ledge, the shrine looming behind her. It was a truly remarkable structure, where an unassuming ledge was cut into the rock underneath the colossal statue of Azura, with a wide doorway that led into the shrine itself – a vast, ornate hall seemingly unharmed by the effects of five hundred years of neglect and nature. In the centre of this hall stood another statue of Azura, smaller than the one outside but carved entirely of marble. Water dripped onto the statue from an unseen source, flowing down the statue's sides and giving Azura an almost living quality. Had Galmina not recently seen her best friend be kidnapped by hostile Dunmer soldiers, she would probably have been able to appreciate its majesty a lot more.

When the ship finally docked and the first dinghy-load of passengers reached the shore, Galmina raced to meet them. The first person she saw was Jurard, with a grave look on his face.

"Jurard, what happened?" Galmina asked, sensing trouble.

"Wraithguard is gone" Jurard said meekly. "A Dunmer managed to board us and take it. He completely froze the ship and everyone on it. It was some very adept wizardry, actually. Not only did he use paralysis to immobilise us all, he also used telekinesis to halt the ship in its tracks…"

"Jurard" Galmina said, interrupting him. "Tell me later. Varo is gone! The Dunmer took him, along with Father Velas!"

"They took Varo…" Jurard said, blanching. "Galmina, this is very bad news. If they have Varo and Wraithguard, which I have tuned so only Varo can wear, then they have found something that they need Wraithguard to operate…"

"Kagrenac's Tools?" Galmina replied. "They can't have…"

"No, probably no, but think about something that was found inscribed in Kagrenac's Library in Endusal. 'With my hammer and my blade, I have created that which can create in itself, but can also destroy'"

"You should speak to Father Indarys" Galmina said. "He seems to know more about old Vvardenfell than the rest of us"

As the passengers were slowly brought ashore, Galmina watched them filing into the shrine, greeting those who she knew. Erdora approached her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, my girl" he said softly. "I know Varo well enough to know that we will see him again"

--

"With my hammer and my blade, I have created that which can create in itself, but also destroy" Father Indarys said. "Well, the hammer and the blade are obviously Sunder and Keening. It implies that Kagrenac built something using the Tools, some great machine, perhaps. Anything built using the Tools would require Wraithguard to operate safely"

"So, what does it mean?" Jurard asked. "I think it's to do with the four-line inscription that has us all baffled"

"Not that baffled" Father Indarys said. "I have been consulting some old texts – I bought quite an extensive library with me that I kept on Matari's ship. I found a reference to The Teeth That Gnash – they are a chamber in a place called Nornen-dur, a ruin buried deep beneath Mournhold"

"Mournhold" Jurard mused. "The home of Almalexia. 'A place of which there is not one but three' – there were three of the Almsivi. Could there be a similar structure beneath Vivec, perhaps? And if there is, what purpose does it serve?"

"I suppose the only person who is going to find out is Varo Sinclair"

--

_The eastern slopes of Red Mountain_

"Can I ask you something?" Varo said suddenly to Drothan, who was marching Varo along with an ebony axe pressed against his back.

"Of course" Drothan replied.

"How did you find us? And how did you find the mine at Molag Mar, for that matter?"

"One of your friends isn't as honest as you think. You both should have seen it between you, when Father Velas' note about the discovery of the mine never reached you"

"Matari…" Father Velas gasped. "Oh, Matari, how could you?"

At that moment, one of the Dunmer removed their helm to reveal Matari himself underneath, smiling wickedly at Father Velas.

"Did you not think it too good to be true?" Matari said. "A sailor, and the owner of a ship big enough to carry all your people, suddenly wanting to join your order?"

"Matari delivered that note to me rather than you, Commander" Drothan said. "That's how I found that mine"

"One more question" Varo said. "How did you end up with the surname Indoril? If indeed that is your real surname. Maybe you just think of yourself as the successor to Indoril Nerevar. I've met a lot of Dunmer like that"

"House Indoril died out, but the bloodline did not" Drothan replied. "Yes, I am a distant descendant of an Indoril nobleman. But my allegiance has always been with House Hlaalu"

"That's where all the backstabbing and deceit comes from, then" Varo said under his breath.

"_Commander, I can see the others" _one of the soldiers leading the group called. Drothan ordered the group to halt as two leather-clad figures approached them from the east, masks obscuring their faces. One removed their mask to reveal a bony-faced, bearded Dunmer whilst the other, somewhat surprisingly, was an Altmer.

"Gilthran. Marconi. Good to see you" Drothan said. "I assume your mission was a success?"

The Dunmer, Gilthran, nodded and held up something that made Varo's blood run cold.

Wraithguard.

"Where did you get that?" Varo demanded.

"Where do you think?" Gilthran retorted. Like most of the Dunmer he had met, Varo took an immediate disliking to Gilthran.

"Don't worry, your friends are unharmed" the Altmer, Marconi, said. "We immobilised the ship and paralysed its crew, then took Wraithguard"

"And how did an Altmer become part of the Dunmer army, then?" Father Velas asked, looking at Marconi.

"I am a member of Matari's crew, Father" Marconi said. "I'm surprised you didn't recognise me. Speaking of which, we also have Father Indarys' books"

"Excellent" Drothan said coolly. "Now all we must do is find the Cavern of the Incarnate"

--

_The Valley Of The Wind, north-eastern Ashlands, that evening_

"Good, we're right on time" Drothan said, estimating the time by looking at the sun and moons. The group were travelling south down the Valley Of The Wind, a steep-walled rocky ravine where Father Velas had assured Drothan that the Cavern of the Incarnate was located.

Father Velas led the way as archers picked off wildlife, mostly Cliff Racers hovering idly above the valley. Soon the valley ended in a wide, open area, with Red Mountain looming in front of the group. And there, set into the mountainside, was a cavern doorway surrounded by an ornate archway coated in Daedric runes.

"Only the Incarnate may pass" Father Velas said, translating the runes. "Hmm, it doesn't look like that matters any more"

The stone door that had once stood in the arch lay shattered on the ground, broken by some tremendous force.

Father Velas turned to face Drothan. "Commander, welcome to the Cavern of the Incarnate"

"Thank you, Father" Drothan said coldly, drawing his ebony axe. "I no longer have any need for you"

Varo lunged to save Father Velas, but it was too late. Drothan stepped forward and swung his axe horizontally, hewing Father Velas' head clean from his body. The elderly priest's lifeless body fell limply to the ground.

"Oh, Father…" Varo gasped. He looked at Drothan with a stare that could have frozen water. "And when am I going to meet a similar fate, Indoril?"

"Not for a while yet" Drothan said, smiling wickedly. "As I said, you have no idea how important you are to us"

--

_The Shrine to Azura, Azura's Coast_

"Father Indarys! Father Indarys!" Jurard shouted, racing out of the shrine onto the mountainside carrying a book with him. He was met with Galmina and Erdora.

"What is it, Jurard?" Galmina asked him, motioning him to sit down.

"I think I know what the Dunmer want Varo to do" Jurard said rapidly. "It's this book, the most complete account of the incident in Mournhold where Almalexia and Sotha Sil were killed… It was Almalexia, she created ash-storms in the city, you must have read the stories…"

"I thought the ash storms came from a nearby volcano, and their timing was co-incidental" Erdora said.

"Almalexia gave some sort of powered Dwemer device to a priest of hers" Jurard said, speaking slower. "He used it to activate some sort of hidden machine deep beneath the city, which controlled the volcano. The machine would cause ash storms, an eruption or for the volcano to lie dormant for eternity. Father Indarys would understand more. Where is he?"

"Right here, my son" Father Indarys said suddenly from behind him, evidently having heard the whole conversation. "This machine, was it located in Nornen-dur?"

"Yes!" Jurard said excitedly.

"That's it, then" Father Indarys said, much calmer than the Breton. "Those four lines. The Teeth that Gnash is a reference to the machine. Not one but three. There is one beneath Vivec, and I presume one in Sotha Sil's long-lost clockwork city. Nerevarine's Prophecy – the ridding of outlanders from Vvardenfell"

"What does that mean?" Galmina asked.

"Commander Indoril wants Varo to use the machine to create a huge ash storm" Father Indarys said ominously. "The Dunmer are used to them, to the point of shrugging them off like wind. But no-one else could stand them. Anyone in their right mind would leave the island if ash storms started again"

"Wait" Galmina said suddenly. "Jurard, did you say that the machine can cause the volcano to _erupt?"_

Jurard nodded quickly.

"Get me a map of Vvardenfell!" Galmina exclaimed.

--

"This is Red Mountain as it stood at the time of Dagoth Ur" Galmina said, pointing at the huge volcano at the centre of Vvardenfell. "You can see the Foyadas here, but the last eruption was so ferocious it reshaped the entire region. Now one large Foyada runs towards Ald-Ruhn, you can see by how much solidified lava there is in what's left of the city. Another Foyada runs down here, along a natural fault line, all the way to Molag Mar. Remember all the pools of lava we saw in Molag Amur? They have seeped up through the fault from deep underground. If the volcano erupted again, Molag Amur would be cleaved down the centre and Molag Mar would be obliterated"

"Molag Mar?" Erdora said. "Some of the soldiers are based there"

"Exactly" Jurard said, cottoning on to what Galmina was trying to say. "And if the rest were in Ald-Ruhn, and Varo caused an eruption instead of an ash-storm…"

"Jurard, we cannot channel Drothan's entire army into Ald-Ruhn" Father Indarys said impatiently.

"No" Galmina said softly. "But Commander Hermidius could…"


	11. When The War Came

**Chapter 11 – When The War Came**

_Hlormaren, The Bitter Coast_

"Here you are, Commander" the young Imperial woman said, smiling nervously as she handed Ralix Hermidius his thick leather hunting jacket.

"You really didn't have to bring me this, Aurelia" Hermidius replied as he stepped out of the doorway of Hlormaren. "It really is quite a nice day. Won't you join me?"

Aurelia Mestivius ran outside after Hermidius as soon as he had finished speaking. Hermidius smiled to himself – he was more than used to attention from the female members of the expeditionary force. At thirty-one years of age he was very young to be in a position of command, but he had earnt it through combat and strategy prowess and fierce loyalty to the Empire. With ruffled, shoulder-length brown hair, angular cheekbones and stunningly blue eyes, his looks had also won him acclaim with female staff officers.

Hermidius, Romanus and their people had only been at Hlormaren for around a week but it was already beginning to look like home. The holes in the fortress' outer structure had been repaired, and the Propylon chamber cleared of its no-longer-functioning devices, creating a huge space that Hermidius had devoted to recreation, building a bar out of crates and barrels and ensuring that Varo's supply of Cyrodiilic ale and brandy was being put to good use. He had, however, left a crate of each aside for Varo. When the Commander returned, Hermidius knew he would deserve it.

The fortress also had the advantage of being coastal, and possessing a natural harbour, walled by a chain of small islands.

"Commander!" Aurelia cried suddenly. "Look! There's a ship coming!"

Hermidius raced to the western wall of the stronghold, the one overlooking the harbour. Sure enough, slowly manoeuvring through the channels between the islands into the harbour, was a ship.

Not just any ship. An enormous metal Dwemer steamship.

"By the Nine Divines, that's Varo's ship!" Hermidius exclaimed, leaping over the wall of the fortress and sliding down its sloped outer walls towards the dock.

As the ship's dinghy hit the water, several people began climbing down the rope ladder that led off the side of the ship's deck. Galmina, Jurard, Father Indarys and Levisson, along with Rigs-Sails who brought the four ashore in the dinghy. Galmina leapt ashore as soon as she could and ran towards Hermidius.

"Galmina, what brings you here?" Hermidius asked.

"We need your help" Galmina replied, speaking quickly. "Varo and Father Velas were captured by the Dunmer. I overheard Commander Indoril say that he intends to fulfil Nerevarine's prophecy, using Varo and Father Velas to help him"

"You want us to rescue them?"

"No, we are going to let the Dunmer go through with the plan. Varo will hopefully cause an eruption of Red Mountain which will channel lava to Molag Mar and Ald-Ruhn"

"Wait, slow down, Galmina. What does any of this have to do with us?"

"We have to make sure that the Dunmer army are in Ald-Ruhn when Red Mountain erupts"

Hermidius looked Galmina in the eye. What she was saying sounded preposterous, and Hermidius didn't understand most of it – how was Varo going to cause a volcanic eruption? – yet for some reason he trusted her. Perhaps it was the fact that she and Varo, despite being separated, seemed to have almost formulated this plan together.

"I have many soldiers here" Hermidius said. "If you can get us to Ald-Ruhn we will besiege the Dunmer in the city. But how do you know that that's where they are?"

"Every time they retreat or leave a battle scene, it's to the north. The only sign of civilisation in the north that remains is Ald-Ruhn"

"Like I say, I have the man-power but I don't know where this city is" Hermidius continued. "I will do this for you, but you will have to take me there"

"I can't take you" Galmina said. "I am going to go to Vivec and meet Varo"

--

_The Cavern of the Incarnate, Red Mountain_

The Cavern of the Incarnate was small, but this took away none of the impact of entering it. Central to the cavern was, of course, a statue of Azura, over which water dripped from a small pipe in the ceiling of the cavern, giving the statue the same 'living' appearance as the statue in the shrine. And surrounding the Cavern were books and scrolls, hundreds of them – Kagrenac's Library.

Even so, as Varo entered the cavern, he didn't notice any of this. He felt both angry and helpless. Father Velas was dead. No-one knew where he was, and he was surrounded by Dunmer soldiers. His fate was in their hands.

"Alright everyone, get reading" Drothan said to his soldiers. "Varo, stay out of trouble or I'll kill you"

"I thought you said I was important to you" Varo retorted.

"You are" Drothan said coldly. "But I will still not hesitate to slit your throat if you step out of line"

A few hours later, one of the Dunmer soldiers beckoned Drothan to join him, as the pair began to speak in discreet whispers, speaking the native Dunmer language so that Varo would not be able to understand them. Varo sighed and returned to the book he was reading – with nothing else to do, he had indulged in the secrets of Kagrenac's Library. One thing had interested him, something which was obviously a more recent addition to the Library, somehow added to the collection _after _the fall of the Sixth House. It was a text containing a theory that Vivec somehow destroyed Dagoth Ur by engineering an eruption in Red Mountain.

Drothan approached him. "Commander, we have had some success"

"Will I see it as success?" Varo sighed.

"Let me explain why we have come here" Drothan began. "The four-line riddle refers to some sort of machine beneath Vivec. You have seen it with your own eyes. It is behind the big metal door beneath the Palace"

"Is there anything you don't know about me?" Varo snapped. Drothan ignored him and continued.

"Three of these machines exist. One was built for each Almsivi God. One, obviously, resides beneath Mournhold. This has been known for many years. Another is theorised to exist in the Clockwork City of Sotha Sil. The third resides beneath Vivec's palace. What these machines did was not clear until now, but my researchers have just found Kagrenac's complete account of how he built the machines. They control a great volcano nearby…"

"Red Mountain" Varo said.

"Correct. One of the functions of this machine is to trigger a huge ash storm"

Drothan stopped. Varo stared at him in disbelief.

"I am not helping you trigger an ash storm. Don't you realise the impact it will have? Ashes from Red Mountain contain the Blight! You would bring that dreaded disease back to the island?"

"Varo, the Dunmer have lived with the Blight for their entire history. As such, we know how to cure it. Not only that, we know how to immunise ourselves against it. Myself and all my men _have _immunised ourselves against it"

"But my people will be wiped out"

"Yes, now you understand my plan, Commander. And, ironically, you will be the one to carry it out. The machine requires Wraithguard to operate safely, and it has been tuned by Jurard to your body. No-one else can use it"

At the mention of Wraithguard, Varo's mind went into overdrive. The machine was beneath Vivec Palace, the site where Vivec was killed by Sixth House cultists. But then there was that scroll, the theory that it was Vivec who had caused the eruption of Red Mountain which destroyed Dagoth Ur. Vivec was killed where the machine was, so his final dying act must have been…

"Come on, then" Varo said with false reluctancy. "Let's get this whole sorry business over with"

--

_Vivec, the next day_

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Sea Monster asked as the steamship slowly came to a halt near Vivec palace.

"Probably not, but I have no choice" Galmina replied. "I have to see Varo again"

Sea Monster had assembled a skeleton crew to take Galmina and Father Indarys to Vivec palace, so they could be there when Drothan brought their leaders to whatever it was that lay behind the metal door.

Both of them silently disembarked the ship onto the crumbling ziggurat of the palace. Neither were in the mood for talking – they had most likely both come to their death – and the weather added even more of a sense of hopelessness and melancholy. The skies were a dull grey and a strong wind blew a light rain into their faces.

"Sea Monster" Galmina said, turning round. "Stay nearby. When you see the volcano erupting, come back to the palace. If we somehow get out of this alive, we'll need a way to escape"

"I'll be here" Sea Monster called back. "Not much use for a ship in Ald-Ruhn…"

The ship's engines began to roar again as the rear paddle snapped into action, slowly but steadily accelerating the ship away from Vivec, towards Seyda Neen where Sea Monster would moor, trying to remain unseen.

Galmina and Father Indarys both entered the palace to shelter from the rain. Still, neither of them spoke.

"Galmina" Father Indarys said eventually. "Can you do something for me?"

"What is it?" Galmina asked.

"When you see Varo, tell him exactly how you feel about him"

Galmina smiled softly. "I will"

"You know, I really hope we survive this" Father Indarys said, gazing out of the palace door across Vivec. "I want to see how this saga ends"

"Saga?" Galmina said, confused. "Hopefully it will end with Red Mountain erupting"

"There's more to it than that" Father Indarys said somewhat ominously. "Vvardenfell is completely unlike anywhere else in Tamriel. The very _island_ itself seems to be alive. It seems to serve some purpose"

"The dreams" Galmina said. "Father Velas said that they're something to do with the rocks"

"Rocks that came from Red Mountain, specifically the eruption that destroyed Dagoth Ur. But it didn't really destroy him, in a sense it scattered him across the whole island. Dagoth Ur _is _Vvardenfell now. There's other things, too. In the caves around Molag Mar we kept finding huge purple crystals which glowed with a strange light, and they seemed to provide a limitless source of magicka. Crystals are created from volcanic eruptions, so…"

"But if Dagoth Ur is sending the dreams, why were the dreams helpful? I thought Nerevarine was constantly tormented by nightmares sent by Dagoth Ur"

"It's all about politics, my girl" Father Velas said, turning back to face her. "Nerevarine, the Temple, even the Dunmer people were enemies of Dagoth Ur. The Dunmer destroyed his house, killed his people and if theories are to be believed they wiped out the Dwemer. Even in his destroyed, spiritual form he is exacting his revenge on the Dunmer, and we are helping him"

Galmina gasped. "We are aiding the Dark Lord?"

"He is only known as that because that is how the Dunmer portray him" Father Indarys replied comfortingly. "In his days as Lord Voryn Dagoth he was a great man. A leader, a creator, a visionary. But then the war of the First Council came and everything he had created was destroyed. You can't blame him for wanting vengeance against the Dunmer. Morrowind has complicated politics – it is often difficult to distinguish between good and bad. Look at the situation the Nerevarine prophecy has got us into"

--

_The West Gash, south of Ald-Ruhn_

The combined forces of the remainder of Varo's soldiers, Hermidius' men and the handful of mercenaries that Romanus had left numbered around one hundred and fifty men, whilst Hermidius estimated there to be at least two hundred soldiers garrisoned in the remains of Ald-Ruhn. From his vantage point atop a small hill south of the town, he could see what they were up against. The town itself was in a bad shape – the previous eruption of Red Mountain had caused lava to flow into the lower southern half of the town, completely levelling it. However, the strange, curved Redoran architecture of the higher part of town still stood firm, as did the enormous Ald-Skar, although the town's temple had long crumbled away. The Dunmer soldiers, since arriving in the city, had built a temporary stone wall around the town. Many soldiers could be seen patrolling the inside of the city and around its perimeter, and Hermidius kept spotting soldiers filing in and out of the Ald-Skar, where he guessed the majority of them were garrisoned.

Ralix Hermidius turned and briskly walked back down the hill to where his men were waiting. Only four were noticeable by their absence – Sea Monster, Rigs-Sails, Sten Hawk-Eye and Erdora. Sten and Erdora had left Hlormaren to head towards Vivec, not stating their reason but wishing everyone else the blessing of the Nine for the coming battle.

"Soldiers and mercenaries of the Empire" Hermidius said to his men, standing proud before them. "The fate of our future in Vvardenfell lies not in us but in two men. Commander Varo Sinclair, a fearless leader and explorer and a friend to all of us. Father Velas, a kind yet visionary priest. Both were kidnapped by our enemies, and if Mr Aurmine and Father Indarys are to be believed, are going to be taken to Vivec to be forced to commit a terrible act, one which could potentially kill every last one of us. But I know Varo, and he will not let that happen. I know that he will work out that he must go against the orders of his captors and cause Red Mountain to erupt. This may well mean he also causes his own death, but if that does happen, should his legacy not live on in a Vvardenfell free of Dunmer oppression, a Vvardenfell that is part of the Empire?"

A huge cheer came out of the assembled army.

"We must make sure Drothan's army is besieged in Ald-Ruhn when the volcano erupts. They must be overcome by the tide of lava while we make good our escape. Varo will not know it, but if he can make Red Mountain erupt, the Dunmer will be banished from Vvardenfell. There may be a day when the Empire falls and the Dunmer rekindle their ill claim to this island, but this is not that day! Strike hard, aim true and do not let the Dunmer leave this town!"

With that, Hermidius turned around, drew his sword and raced back up the hillside, his army following behind him, shouting at the top of their lungs. As Hermidius reached the top of the hill, he hurled his arm forwards as the archers all drew their bows and fired at once. Arrows rained down on the Dunmer soldiers in Ald-Ruhn, killing several of their rank and sending panic shooting through the town. How could the weakened and oppressed Expeditionary Force have assembled such a powerful counter-attack?

As Hermidius' melee fighters raised the hill and began to descend its northern slope, past the rubble and crumbling remains of Fort Buckmoth, the Dunmer began to form a counter-attack, lining up in ranks behind the stone wall, drawing bows and firing. However, Hermidius' men were prepared for this, raising their shields at the last second and blocking the hail of arrows that rained down on them. Soon they reached the wall, which was only around four feet high and built mainly to keep Kagouti out of the city, and carried by their momentum, every single one of Hermidius' soldiers _leapt _over the wall!

"Force them into the Ald-Skar!" Hermidius shouted, leading from the front. "Come on!"

The Dunmer archers all dropped their bows and drew swords, forming rank upon rank of soldiers dressed in bonemold armour, all different types of helms – the native forms that were worn by whichever house the soldier was a member of. Hermidius and his men soon reached the soldiers, colliding with them with shocking force. Brandishing Imperial steel swords and axes, the soldiers slaughtered the front row of the Dunmer rank immediately. Hermidius, wielding a glass blade made for him by Baldur gra-Orash, fought skilfully, using the two-handed Claymore to block attacks and force the Dunmer soldiers' weapons from their hands before killing them. Every now and then, a Dunmer would be thrown forwards, dead, by an impact from behind. It was Hermidius' secret weapon – Burdush gra-Barat and Mistarie, who had climbed up the back of the Ald-Skar onto its roof, where they were wreaking havoc on the Dunmer with their bows.

"Back to the Skar!" a gruff Dunmer voice bellowed. Still fighting hard, Hermidius' men were only too happy to help the soldiers carry out their order. The Dunmer were being carved down by Hermidius' soldiers on the front line and pummelled with deadly arrow fire from behind – Hermidius and his men were all over them.

Suddenly, Hermidius froze as he heard an ominous rumbling sound coming from the east.

"The volcano..." he said softly to himself.


	12. Welcome To The Machine

**Chapter 12 – Welcome To The Machine**

_Vivec, a few hours earlier_

"They're coming!" Galmina exclaimed, leaping to her feet. A small wooden clipper was slowly moving towards them from the north, negotiating the gaps between the cantons.

"I'm going to make myself scarce for the moment" Father Indarys said. "I do not feel that my life will be spared"

Father Indarys climbed out through the hole in the roof of the palace and dropped down behind its southern wall, obscured from view.

Galmina walked nervously down the steps of the palace as the ship moored at its base. Several of the Dunmer soldiers drew bows and aimed at Galmina, but she saw Drothan signal them to lower their weapons. At that moment, a world-weary Varo looked over the bow of the ship and saw Galmina. As soon as he saw her, a huge grin came onto his face.

"Come on" Drothan said, grabbing Varo by the wrist and leading him off the ship. "If you try anything, we'll kill her"

"Can I at least say hello?" Varo asked audaciously.

"I don't see a problem with that"

Varo raced up to Galmina and embraced her, holding her close to him until the Dunmer soldiers caught up with him. But then Varo noticed something on Galmina's shoulder. She had drawn something, so small that none of the Dunmer soldiers would notice it. A picture of an erupting volcano.

"What are you doing here?" Varo asked her.

"I had to see you again" Galmina replied, taking Varo by the hand.

Marconi, the Altmer, briskly walked off the ship and approached Drothan.

"The key" Marconi said, handing a large metal key to Drothan. "You'll need it"

Drothan thanked Marconi and turned to Varo and Galmina.

"Lead the way. You've already been here"

--

A few minutes later, Varo and Galmina emerged in the chamber deep beneath the palace. Drothan followed closely behind them, with his twenty soldiers surrounding him.

"I believe this machine of yours lies behind that door" Varo said, pointing to the big metal door at the far end of the chamber. Drothan produced the key and approached the door.

"Where did he get that?" Galmina whispered.

"Marconi had it" Varo replied. "But I don't know where _he _got it from…"

"Marconi is very old" one of the Dunmer soldiers said cryptically, turning to Varo. "He has seen many fantastic places in his life"

Drothan turned the key in the lock then roughly swung the door open. The group assembled around him and beheld the truly amazing sight that lay beyond the door.

The cavern that contained the machine was enormous, bigger than the one where Varo had found the Dwemer steamship. The feeble light of their torches could not even begin to illuminate it – Galmina cast magical lights to all corners of the huge chamber to fully light it. The cavern was pyramidal in shape, with a wide vent lofting up into the rock at the peak of the pyramid, and its base was a huge lake of roaring lava. The doorway entered the cavern near the top of the pyramid, but even from that point its opposite wall was around a hundred yards away. A grand stepped stone walkway, ornately carved with Daedric runes and decorations, led down to a cylindrical island that stuck up out of the lake of lava in the centre of the cavern, and upon this island was a large piece of Dwemer machinery – the device used to control Red Mountain. Laid into the wall beyond the machine was a huge vertical stone tablet, lit up a pale lilac by several purple crystals that surrounded it.

But there was one more thing in the cavern, located near the machine. A dead body.

Vivec's dead body.

_The theory was right, _Varo thought. Vivec did die in this cavern. Varo guessed that Vivec had left Wraithguard in the antechamber should anyone else ever need to use the machine, then operated the machine without Wraithguard. In the end, it was this action, not the Sixth House cultists, that killed Vivec.

"Come on, let's get on with it" Drothan said as he began to descend the staircase. Varo and Galmina followed him, Galmina trying to translate all the Daedric script carved into the walkway. One recurring message was a simple piece of safety advice – _Do not operate this device without Wraithguard. _Other messages said things she had seen before, such as the four-line riddle and Kagrenac's words about how he used his tools to build this machine. One message, however, was much more ominous.

_The end of the world is near._

Soon, the group reached the platform. Drothan and Varo stood before the machine, with Galmina standing just behind them and the twenty soldiers circling the three of them. Drothan handed Wraithguard to Varo, who nervously put the gauntlet on.

"I cannot touch the machine but I can guide you through this" Drothan said. "Place your hands on it"

Varo did so, and the dormant machine came to life, clattering and whirring loudly as its innards began to operate. Varo examined the control plate of the machine – it was quite simple, containing two levers with script written underneath in both Dwemer and Daedric.

"Galmina, what does this say?" Varo said, turning round. Galmina examined the script.

"The left one says 'Operate' and the right one says 'Select'" Galmina replied.

"Right" Varo said to himself, pulling down on the right-hand lever. On the great stone tablet in front and above them, an image of a mountain appeared, seemingly projected by the purple crystals. Pulling the lever again, an image of a volcano spewing ash replaced the mountain. Varo's heart missed a beat as he realised what the image represented, and pulled the lever again. The image changed to Red Mountain with streams of lava pouring down from its crater.

"Too far, Commander" Drothan said.

"I know" Varo retorted. Pulling the lever two more times, Varo watched the image change back to the ash storm.

_This is it…_ Drothan thought.

_Please figure it out, Varo… _Galmina thought.

"Any final words?" Drothan said, turning to Varo.

"Yes, actually" Varo replied. "Even if you do banish us from this land, there is one thing that the Empire will always have that the Dunmer will not. Friends"

At that moment, Varo did the last thing Drothan expected. He punched Drothan square in the jaw, causing the Dunmer commander to reel back. In the split-second that this gave him, Varo grabbed both the levers and yanked them down. As soon as he had done so, he turned to Galmina.

"Run!"

A deafening boom echoed through the chamber as the very earth trembled wildly. One of the Dunmer soldiers lost his balance and fell, screaming, off the edge of the platform and plunged into the roaring lake of lava below.

Then, the lava began to rise quickly in the lake. The volcano was erupting.

Everything began to happen at once. Varo grabbed Galmina by the hand and bolted for the stairs that led out of the cavern. Two Dunmer soldiers blocked his path but Varo shoulder-barged through them, dragging Galmina with him, before they had chance to draw weapons. Varo and Galmina had reached the stairs.

_We might actually make it out of this alive…_ Varo thought to himself, until two figures appeared in the doorway at the top of the staircase. Varo's heart stopped.

It was Matari and Marconi, both carrying crossbows.

They both fired.

Varo closed his eyes and waited to be pierced by the deadly bolts, but instead the two bolts shot past either side of him and Galmina, slamming into the two Dunmer soldiers who were pursuing them!

The whole cavern had erupted into chaos. Varo and Galmina raced up the stairs under the cover of Matari and Marconi's crossbow fire. Behind them, Drothan was shouting at his men to return fire. Arrows flew forward over Varo and Galmina, aimed for Matari and Marconi, but they ducked behind the doorway to avoid them.

Suddenly there was a loud crack, followed by a crumbling sound as a large section of the stairway in front of them simply fell away, its supports weakened by the rising lava.

The scale of the predicament hit Varo immediately. Himself and Galmina were trapped on the stairs, the Dunmer soldiers rapidly approaching them with their weapons drawn. Varo was still wearing his armour, but had no weapon to defend himself with. Crossbow fire from Matari and Marconi held the Dunmer soldiers off, but it could only do so for so long…

Suddenly Varo felt himself be lifted into the air by some strange magical force. It was Galmina, using a levitation spell, carrying him across the void.

"Enjoy your tomb, Drothan!" Varo shouted back to Drothan, who was now stranded on the island, at the mercy of the quickly-rising lake of lava and his two betrayers' crossbow fire.

But then, Varo noticed that two of the Dunmer soldiers were pulling a large sheet of metal panelling off the machine to bridge the gap with. They weren't out of this yet.

--

All across Vvardenfell, incredible things were happening. The lava pool that had lay dormant for so many years beneath the rift that ran from Red Mountain all the way through Molag Amur to Molag Mar roared into life, pushing the rift further and further apart, turning it into a gaping chasm, a plummet of several hundred feet into the deadly lava. The rift ripped the ground surrounding Molag Mar apart, causing its already-weakened foundations to fail. Gradually, the enormous tower and all the Dunmer soldiers garrisoned in it toppled into the rift and plunged into the lava, never to be seen again.

--

In Ald-Ruhn, as battle raged all around him, all Ralix Hermidius could do was stare in wonder at the plume of lava bursting from Red Mountain in the distance, something that was visible all across Vvardenfell.

"By the Nine Divines, he did it!" Hermidius shouted. "Force them into the Skar! We don't have long!"

Jurard had warned Hermidius about the great danger of his undertaking – due to the presence of the Foyadas, the lava would be channelled directly towards Ald-Ruhn. Jurard reckoned Hermidius would have about ten minutes once the volcano started erupting.

"This is it, men!" Hermidius continued. "Let's show them what we're made of!"

Spurred on by this new hope, Hermidius' men gained up the strength of their attack, simply _overwhelming_ the Dunmer soldiers. Immediately, the Dunmer began retreating towards their fortress, the Skar. Just as Hermidius wanted.

--

Varo and Galmina dived through the doorway that led out of the huge cavern, slamming it shut as Galmina magically locked it. Drothan had the key, but it would still buy them some time.

"Thanks" Varo said, turning to Matari. "Deep down I knew I could trust you"

"Think nothing of it, Commander" Matari replied. "Now let's get out of here while we still can"

"I fear we won't be able to outrun the lava" Varo sighed. "It's rising too quickly. But the least we can do is try"

As Varo turned to make for the spiral staircase at the opposite end of the chamber, Galmina grabbed his arm.

"Varo, if we don't make it out… I love you"

Varo turned to face Galmina, just as he heard a key being turned in the lock.

"This isn't really the time" Varo said, smiling and looking Galmina in the eyes. "But I love you too"

With that, the four turned and raced for the staircase. But as they did, lava started seeping through cracks in the floor, and the door behind them flew open. An arrow flew through the chamber, missing Varo's head by inches.

"Oh, come _on!" _Varo shouted as he saw the lava slowly flooding into the chamber. He turned round and picked up Galmina, cradling her in his arms as he began to run across the lava-covered floor, his steel boots just resisting the heat. He could feel an uncomfortable heat in his feet, which had turned into a burning pain by the time he reached the stairwell. In their heat-resistant bonemold boots, the Dunmer soldiers were encountering no such problems, and they had also captured and bound Matari and Marconi, dragging them along with them.

"I'll catch you up" Varo said as he put Galmina down. "I need to get rid of some of these bastards"

"It's alright, there's help outside" Galmina called back to Varo as she began to race up the stairs.

"Help?" Varo said to himself, before following her.

--

Galmina reached the top of the stairwell first, with Varo close behind her. As soon as they emerged, Father Indarys, who still hadn't been discovered by the Dunmer, appeared in the doorway that led out of the palace.

"Get down!" Father Indarys shouted. "This isn't going to be pleasant!"

Three Dunmer soldiers emerged from the stairwell, just as an enormous bolt of lightning lanced from Father Indarys' hands and slammed into the lead soldier. Rather than stopping, the lightning bolt was so powerful that it sliced through the Dunmer's body like a knife through butter and struck the next soldier, who convulsed wildly before both fell to the ground, dead. Stunned by what had just happened, the third soldier didn't notice Father Indarys casting another bolt of lightning before it was too late – the kinetic force of the spell flung the Dunmer back, causing them to slam into the wall, dead, and punch a large crack in the crumbling stone.

"That was for Father Velas!" Father Indarys shouted as more Dunmer began to file out of the staircase. By now, Varo and Galmina were out of the palace.

Varo knew that they were trapped on the ziggurat, but he was going to go down fighting…

"By the Gods…" Varo said to himself. He had just seen the last thing he possibly expected.

Sea Monster's Dwemer steamship thundering south, through the city, towards the palace!

Varo grabbed Galmina and bolted out of the path of the oncoming ship as it simply bulldozed through the semi-submerged ruins of the Temple and the Ministry of Truth. From the western side of the ziggurat, the pair watched as the ship slammed into the Palace with an earth-shattering crash, ploughing through the fragile masonry, ripping a great gash _through _the ziggurat until it came to rest just short of the doorway into the palace. At that moment, they saw Rigs-Sails and Erdora leap from the ship, instantly taking down a Dunmer soldier each.

Galmina smiled. "I told you there was help out here"

"I am going to kill Drothan Indoril" Varo said authorititavely. "I can't ask you to come with me. Go on the ship where it's safer"

Varo, still unarmed, began to clamber up the ruins of the north-facing edge of the ziggurat towards the palace, slowly taking in the situation. Rigs-Sails, armed with his glass spear, was fighting off soldiers along with Erdora. Father Indarys had run around the other side of the palace interior, so that the Dunmer now emerged from the stairs between him and Rigs-Sails and Erdora. Sea Monster raced for the ballista, swung it around and fired. The powerful weapon's bolt gruesomely pierced a Dunmer soldier to the palace wall through the forehead.

"Yeah!" Sea Monster shouted. "You picked the wrong Empire to mess with, Dunmer scum!"

As Varo reached the top of the ziggurat, he saw something that made his blood run cold. Steam, rising from the stairwell. Steam caused by the lava. It was rising up the stairwell, and nearing the top. Varo leapt onto the ship's deck and ran to Sea Monster.

"Are we stuck here?" Varo asked him desperately.

"What sort of sailor do you think I am?" Sea Monster replied. "Of course we're not stuck! It might take a while for us to get pulled free though… Shit! Behind you!"

Varo spun round to see a Dunmer soldier swinging a Claymore horizontally, straight at his head! Varo closed his eyes and waited for the worst…

_Sprack!_

The Dunmer soldier froze where he stood and fell backwards, a crossbow bolt jutting from his temple.

"Oh yeah, Sten's up on the St. Delyn Canton" Sea Monster explained. Varo took the fallen soldier's weapon as another crossbow bolt flew over his head, striking an approaching soldier in the chest. Varo leapt over the soldier's dead body and joined the carnage.

Erdora and Rigs-Sails bravely fought the overwhelming numbers of soldiers whilst Father Indarys attacked with magic from behind them. A Dunmer soldier tried to attack Varo, but Varo blocked the soldier's attack and forced their weapon from their hands, then hewed the soldier's head clean from his body with his own sword. Varo was fighting more aggressively than he ever had before – he was so close to the end, to freedom. He couldn't die now.


	13. The End Of Time

**Chapter 13 – The End Of Time**

"Oh, shit…" Hermidius said to himself. The Foyada to the east of Ald-Ruhn was now glowing bright-red as lava poured down it towards the town.

"Alright men, get out of here!" Hermidius shouted to his soldiers, still trying to force the Dunmer back into the Skar. "Archers, covering fire!"

As Hermidius' soldiers began to back away from the Skar, the Dunmer made a final attempt for freedom but were met by a withering volley of arrows which killed several of their number. The message was clear – stay in the Skar or die.

The last soldier to retreat was Burdush gra-Barat. In a hugely daring move, he clambered down from his position on the roof of the Skar and slammed the strange structure's door shut, using an enchanted ring to place a lock on it. The soldiers all sighed with relief – the Dunmer were now trapped inside the Skar.

With that, the soldiers all ran for their lives out of the town, back up the hill to the south they had come from. The last few soldiers had just left the town when lava thundered into it, annihilating everything in its path, before it reached the Skar.

The searing hot lava burnt through the wooden door in a fraction of a second and began to flood into the structure, as an almighty cheer came out of Hermidius and his men.

--

Sea Monster abandoned the ballista and ran back to the ship's controls, yanking back the throttle lever as far as it would go. The ship's huge wheel began to turn, but in the opposite direction, so that its motion would pull the ship backwards. The plume of steam rising from the palace was getting thicker. The lava was rising. If Sea Monster couldn't free the ship in time it would be consumed by the tide of lava.

Inside, Varo drew his sword from another fallen Dunmer and turned to face his next opponent.

"Hello, Commander" the Dunmer snarled. It was Drothan, and he wanted revenge.

Drothan lunged at Varo before he had chance to react, tackling him to the ground, but Varo landed in a backwards roll and leapt to his feet, charging at Drothan with his sword. Drothan threw his axe up to block the attack, and the pair's weapons clashed with such a force that Varo's was thrown from his hands.

"You might as well give up now!" Drothan bellowed, charging at the unarmed Varo, brandishing his axe. Varo leapt to the floor and rolled forward, taking out Drothan who fell clumsily to the ground but quickly got up and leapt on top of Varo, holding his axe across Varo's throat with a look of pure evil on his face.

Varo looked around desperately. Rigs-Sails, Erdora and Father Indarys were all fighting their own battles. Sea Monster was on the ship. Galmina was nowhere to be seen. The palace wall obscured any line of fire Sten might have had. He was unarmed, and no-one could help him…

Suddenly, Varo saw a figure leap down through the hole in the palace roof. It didn't take him long to recognise them. They had just learnt of Father Velas' death. It was Amani Sarano, and she was thoroughly pissed off. At that moment, Varo realised he did have a weapon – Wraithguard.

Amani screamed and leapt on top of Drothan, grabbing hold of his head and digging her fingernails into his face. Drothan roared in pain as Amani tried to pull him off Varo. But then, Drothan leapt to his feet, throwing Amani to the ground, raising his axe above her with his right hand…

Then something he could not possibly have expected happened. He felt something get slipped onto his left hand. It did not take him long to realise what it was.

"No…" Drothan said feebly. It was all he could muster before Wraithguard took effect.

Its mortally damaging magic acted instantly. Drothan fell to the ground, his face unrecognisably contorted with pain, as blood began to pour horribly from every orifice on his face. After ten seconds of the most intense pain he had ever felt in his left, Commander Drothan Indoril of the Grand Council of Morrowind toppled over, dead.

Losing no time, Varo retrieved his sword and turned around. The remaining Dunmer soldiers had now forced the others out of the palace, onto the deck of the Dwemer ship. However, as a crossbow bolt flew across the ship's deck, missing a soldier by millimetres, Varo remembered something.

Matari and Marconi.

They had helped him escape. More than that – they had allowed this very event to take place. Matari had led Drothan to Varo, who had brought him to the machine. Marconi had retrieved both Wraithguard and the key to the cavern.

Varo leapt down into the stairwell, the intense heat of the lava hitting his face.

"_Commander! Down here!"_

Varo raced down the stairs, following the source of the voice, and found Matari and Marconi, both bound and left on the stairs, the lava rapidly approaching them. Hurriedly, Varo cut their bonds with his sword and freed them, the three racing up the stairs just as the lava caught up with them.

--

On the deck of the ship, the others were fighting their own battles. Rigs-Sails, Erdora and Father Indarys were still holding off the remaining five Dunmer soldiers, whilst Sea Monster was desperately trying to free the ship before the approaching lava consumed it. Amani moved around behind the three fighters, healing them as they got injured.

Suddenly, the huge ship lurched as its wheel developed sufficient power to drag the ship slowly out of the ruins of the palace, inching closer towards the sea. Steam continued to rise out of the palace, getting thicker and thicker.

"This is going to be close…" Sea Monster said to himself.

The three fighters were becoming tired and overwhelmed. They couldn't allow themselves to be defeated, not this close to the end… But they hadn't counted on one thing. Galmina.

--

"Father Indarys!" Galmina cried. She was standing at the base of the ziggurat, next to the hull of the ship. "Father Indarys! Let me see you!"

Father Indarys appeared at the edge of the ship's deck and looked down at Galmina, just as a huge orb of magic cast by Galmina engulfed him. Father Indarys felt magicka and power surging through him, more than he had ever experienced before.

"It's time to end this!" Galmina shouted to him. Father Indarys turned to face Erdora and Rigs-Sails.

"Get behind me, you two!" he called, striding to the centre of the deck. Erdora and Rigs-Sails retreated past him, as Father Indarys unleashed an enormous fireball at the five Dunmer soldiers.

Not so much a fireball as an explosion, the mass of fire hit the metal deck at the feet of the soldiers and burst spectacularly, rocking the ship with a resounding _Boom!_. The Dunmer soldiers were all thrown high up into the air by the blast, dead long before they plunged into the ocean.

"Sea Monster, get us out of here!" Father Indarys shouted, turning round. "We don't have long"

"But Varo…" Sea Monster began.

"Varo will make it. I know he will" Father Indarys said reassuringly as the ship finally slipped free of the ziggurat and plunged back into the ocean. Seeing what was happening, Galmina levitated off the ziggurat and onto the deck of the ship.

--

"The bastards! They're leaving without us!" Matari cried as he reached the top of the stairwell.

"Then jump!" Varo shouted to him. Matari and Marconi raced through the palace and out of the doorway, leaping onto the deck of the Dwemer steamship as it pulled away, only just making the jump.

Varo went to do the same but stopped. Wraithguard was still on the hand of Drothan's dead body. In a decision that he knew may well be the last one he ever made, he ran over to Drothan and removed Wraithguard, placing it over his own hand.

By this time the ship was too far away to jump to.

Lava was pouring out of the stairwell and advancing towards him.

This was going to be close.

"Rigs-Sails!" Varo shouted at the top of his lungs to be heard over the roar of the lava and the ship's engines. "Your spear!"

With that, Varo sprinted out of the palace and down what was left of the staircase leading down to the sea, then leapt _along_ the starboard flank of the ship. Rigs-Sails, hearing his call, hung his spear over the edge of the deck, gripping it as hard as he could with both hands. Miraculously, Varo managed to grab hold of the spear, and Rigs-Sails and Erdora hauled him aboard. Varo collapsed, breathless, on the deck.

Just as the ship pulled away from the palace, a cascade of lava poured down all four sides of the ziggurat, hitting the ocean with an almighty roar and sending up enormous clouds of steam.

"By the Gods, we did it!" Varo said reverently as he got his breath back, watching the spectacle of the volcano beneath the palace erupting. "Thank you for your help, everyone. I couldn't have done it without any of you. I suppose now all we have to do is worry about the rest of the Dunmer soldiers"

"I wouldn't worry about them" Sea Monster said. "If you're wondering where the rest of your men are, they're besieging the Dunmer in the Ald-Skar in Ald-Ruhn so the lava kills them all"

All Varo could do was laugh at the sheer elation he was feeling. He was alive. Vvardenfell was free.

"It's strange how independently of each other we managed to come up with the same plan" Varo said eventually, standing up shakily.

"Come on, hero" Galmina said, taking him by the hand. "You need to rest"

"You are all heroes" Varo said, turning to face the group. "Without all of your help, I couldn't have done what I just did and lived to tell the tale. You all came to my aid and helped me escape. As soon as I saw the volcano drawn on Galmina's shoulder I knew that you were all looking out for me"

"It's the least we could do" Sea Monster said. "You've looked after us well, Commander"

"It's partly Drothan's fault too" Matari said. "_He _should have seen it coming. He should have realised that there wasn't something quite right about a sailor, of all people, willing to infiltrate a peaceful cult"

"Yes, that surprised me too, I must say" Varo said. "You both had an enormous role to play in what has just happened. If I hadn't been taken to that machine, we would still be fighting a losing battle against the Dunmer. Now come on, let's go home"

--

_Hlormaren, The Propylon Chamber, that night_

Varo was impressed by his first visit to the new town of Hlormaren. Between Romanus and Hermidius, they had built a good settlement with the added bonus of the ancient stronghold at its centrepiece. And the town's tavern, The Propylon Chamber, named after the building's old purpose, was the ideal venue to celebrate victory.

Soon after those aboard Sea Monster's ship had returned to Hlormaren, so had the soldiers who had been fighting in Ald-Ruhn. They also had success to report – they had defeated the Dunmer, and only lost a handful of men in the process. Everyone was in high spirits when Varo stepped up onto the bar and motioned everyone to stop talking.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I will make this quick since I know you want to enjoy the party, as do I. I appreciate that the few weeks since we landed here have not been easy for anyone. We have been under constant attack from man and beast alike, we have been constantly forced from our homes and living in fear of what would happen next. A lot of us have lost dear friends since we have been here. But times are about to change. The Empire has performed a show of power. Against overwhelming odds, we have shown the Grand Council of Morrowind that we are a force to be reckoned with. Pity any Dunmer soldier who might ever set foot on this island again!"


	14. Living Well Is The Best Revenge

**Chapter 14 – Living Well Is The Best Revenge (epilogue)**

Ten years on, Vvardenfell was a changed place. The Empire had spread around the southern regions of the island – the new town of Hlormaren still stood in place, used mainly as a Legion garrison thanks to its fortress, and its coastal location made it a busy trade hub. Further east, the old Imperial capital of Ebonheart had been restored to its former glory, its grand castle having been rebuilt fully. Next to it stood Vivec, untouched since the last days of the war against the Dunmer. Uninhabitable, it stood instead as a monument to Varo Sinclair and his loyal group of friends repelling the Dunmer menace. Another new town, New Pelagiad, had been built on the site of the old town, and had become a large mining town. Devoted to discovering the mysteries of the magnetic glass and ebony, which also seemed to broadcast prophetic dreams, many mages and scholars had moved to the town, founding new Vvardenfell's first Guild of Mages. The Arch-Mage – Jurard Aurmine.

On the east coast of the island stood the town of Moonstar, the home of the Sun and Moon Cult, with the enormous statue of Azura as its centrepiece, the innards of the shrine transformed into an ornate palace from where Father Indarys led his people. Amani Sarano had been ordained as a High Priest, after her actions atop Vivec Palace had both saved Varo's life and allowed him to kill Drothan Indoril.

Varo's loyal company of soldiers – Sten Hawk-Eye, Tertius Levisson and all his other friends – still maintained Legion service but often went off on their own exploration missions, inspired by their leader. Burdush gra-Barat, Mistarie and Alanar had also enlisted in the Legion.

Connecting the towns of New Vvardenfell were two ships – the Dwemer steamship, still crewed by Sea Monster, Rigs-Sails and S'Barama, and the _Twin Moons, _Matari's ship.

Between Hlormaren and New Pelagiad, upon the Odai Plateau, once existed a great Hlaalu manor. This was reconstructed, as one man deserved such a grand home – Commander Varo Sinclair.

Life had been good for Varo since the downfall of the Dunmer. Following his actions, the Emperor had bestowed the coveted title of Champion upon him, and for his service to the Nine Divines, the Imperial temple had made him an honourary High Priest.

Varo and Galmina married shortly after the downfall of the Dunmer, and had two children, Velas and Fariel Sinclair. Velas was now nine, and shared his father's loves – leadership, exploration, but most of all, looking out for others – a proud Imperial boy. Their seven-year-old daughter, Fariel, took more after her mother, possessing the same blonde hair, delicate features and deep eyes as Galmina. Having been taught the basics of magic under the able tuition by Jurard, she had developed a keen interest for the history of old Vvardenfell, and often went off exploring nearby caves and ruins with Galmina and the estate's chief guard, Erdora. Only once did Varo come with them, on an expedition to a Dwemer ruin on a hillside high above Balmora, overlooking the Foyada Mamaea. In here, in the deepest parts of the ruin, Varo left Wraithguard, under the protection of two Golden Saints. He knew he was going to need the gauntlet again. Too many things remained unexplained – the magnetism of the rocks that erupted from Red Mountain, the purple crystals found in caves around Vvardenfell – for the island to lie dormant again.

-The End-

-of-

-Vvardenfell Reborn-


End file.
